


A Pretty Good Indication

by twowritehands



Category: Letterkenny (TV)
Genre: Asexuality Spectrum, Bisexuality, Fake Dating, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sobriety, Substance Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-22 12:04:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15581589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twowritehands/pseuds/twowritehands
Summary: Daryl's toxic ex is back in town, threatening his years of sobriety. Wayne and Katy devise a plan to keep Darry from relapse until she leaves.





	1. Chapter 1

Wayne stretched across the living room couch, watching TV with his dog laying on top of him. Katy was sideways in the armchair, scrolling through facebook. Occasionally during commercials, she would give Wayne a status update of a friend or relative, and he'd make a comment. These exchanges grew further apart, and his eyes drooped with sleep. Gus was snoring, paws twitching. It was near their bedtime.

Katy sat bolt upright in the chair, jaw slack. “Oh, my god.”

Wayne jerked awake. Gus came alert as well, ears perked up. Katy was staring wide eyed at her phone. “Wayne? Fuck.”

“Jesus, Katy. What?”

“She's back.”

“Who's that now?”

“Mona.”

Wayne sat up so fast it sent the dog flailing to the rug. “Fuck!”

“So what are we gonna do?”

“Well, has he seen the post yet?”

Katy scanned the comments. “No.”

“Good. He must be asleep, then, which means we have about 8 hours to come up with a plan.”

“Better be a good one this time. We can't let her get her hooks in him again, Wayne. I'm not going through it again. I can't.”

“I fucking hate Mona so much.”

“She's literally The Worst.”

“And he doesn't see it. Poor bastard can't, really. She's his weakness.”

“But that's why he's got us. It's our job to keep them apart. For Darry.”

“For Darry.”

::::

Wayne tossed and turned all night, trying to come up with the best way to keep Darry away from Mona. His Ex. The girl who took his virginity, and saw fit to rebel in ways that ruined her life.  And because she had Darry so tight around her little finger he went down with her. She pert near killed him.

Mona was trying to make it big in a punk rock band and traveled all over Canada on small tours. It was the kind of thing a teenager would find thrilling and interesting. They all did back in the day. But then they grew up. Guess who didn't.

Now, Mona was a low down fucking skid doing more drugs than gigs, and Darry was her meal ticket. He was helpless against her, and whenever she was in town she used him. But Wayne was not going to stand by and watch it happen again. Never. Again.

But what to do?

At 2 am, he gave up trying to sleep at all. He got dressed, put on boots, and went out the back door. Gus came with him. Wayne struck out across the property, toward Darry's trailer at the edge of the front field.

As he stepped up onto the small porch, he could see the TV on through the blinds. Dogs inside went on alert at the first floorboard squeak, and when he touched the screen door, they went batshit. He didn't have to knock. A light came on, and Darry peered through the triangular window in the door before opening it.

He was in boxers. The four small, untrained dogs rushed out to sniff and play with Wayne's obedient champion.

“Wayne?” Darry blinked and looked all around the farm, trying to wake up and see what was wrong. “What time is it?”

“Early. Sorry. I just needed…” he blinked.

Shit. Fuck.

Did he seriously get this fucking far without a full plan? Wayne absolutely could not tell him what was really going on. Even saying her name would cast the spell. The longer he could keep Darry from getting online or checking any messages she might have left him, the longer they had Clean and Sober Darry.

Wayne was prepared to do anything to keep Darry this side of sober. He always said so but now, standing on Darry's porch in the middle of the night looking Darry in the face, Wayne felt balanced on the fucking edge. One step backwards onto solid ground, one step forward into an unknown abyss and here he was, fucking ready to jump.

“....needed what? Is everything okay?”

Darry flicked another switch inside and the porch light came on, blazing. Darry scrutinized him closely, apparently looking for injury. “Do I need to call anyone? Where's Katy?”

Wayne felt like a jackass and moved backwards off the porch. “Oh, I shouldn't've bothered you. This is silly. No, everything's fine. Katy's just fine. Go back to sleep, Dar. See ya in the morning.”

“Wait. No, Wayne. Stop. Come here. Bud. What's on your mind?”

Wayne stopped, turned, saw Darry out in the night in nothing but boxers. “Go. Go inside, Darry. You're not dressed.”

“Come in with me, then. We can talk.”

“You were asleep.”

“But I'm awake now and not likely to sleep again until I know what this is about. You're kind of scaring me, Wayne.”

Wayne ushered Darry into the trailer and the dogs came inside. Wayne did a quick headcount and shut the door, locked it.

“I haven't slept a wink.”

Darry hummed. "Wanna talk about it?”

“Have any beer?”

Darry rooted through his small fridge and came up with one bottle. Wayne took it, opened it, took exactly one gulp and passed it back. “You're going to need it.”

“Why?”

“Because. Because when I tell you what's been on my mind, everything is going to blow up.”

“Kay.”

A long pause stretched out, and Wayne couldn't break it. His tongue wouldn't move to form the words. He stood there,  dumb as a brick in Darry's small, cheaply made but clean kitchen. Darry stood in front of him. Three years sober and happily oblivious.

“Spit it out.”

“But this is nice and as soon as I say it, it'll be bad.”

“This? Nice? I'm standing here clutching my last beer like a lifeline because my business partner just showed up talking crazy at 2 am…” he almost smiled. “And you think it's nice? This? Just...us? Sharing one beer?”

Wayne nodded. “Sure. It's what we do. We farm and have beers together and talk about stupid stuff. Don't you think that's nice?”

“Of course I do, but, generally, the farming and the beers happen during the day. Or the evening.”

“Right. And that's why I shouldn't have come over here. I said it was silly.”

“Don't go," Darry said, strangely authorative. "Wayne, just say what you want to say. I promise it won't go bad.”

Wayne could not hold eye contact. He heaved a sigh at the linoleum. “Mona is back.”

Darry spit the beer, grimaced, and cleaned up. “Wow. That...is not what I was expecting to hear.”

This creased Wayne's forehead. “Well, what else could it have been?”

A smile squirmed on his lips. “Nothing. Stupid stuff. I don't know. But Mona.” his eyes widened. “Fuuuuck. How do you know she's back? Did you see her? How did she look? Did she mention me?”

Wayne's heart sank. He had been afraid of that light that now gleamed in his buddy's eyes, that eagerness. The preoccupation that now enveloped him. "Dammit, Darry."

“No. You're right. Fuck. I don't care about Mona.” he said this to himself, like a reminder.

“It was on Katy's facebook. I came over here to help. But obviously, I've just made it way worse, because you were sound asleep with hours and hours of Mona-free time ahead of you. I shouldn't have come over here and wrecked that. Don't know what the hell I was thinking.”

One corner of Darry's mouth lifted. “You're being a good friend. I told you last time that I want to be free of her. Thanks for giving me a warning. Maybe this time I can resist her.”

It was good to know the vows Darry had made three years back had been serious and not just heartbreak talking.

“Just don't even talk to her. Stay off facebook. Don't answer her texts or calls.”

Darry had already reached for his phone. He tossed it away like a hot potato he didn't remember picking up. “Right! So maybe you hold onto that.”

Wayne caught it one handed and pocketed it. A stiff nod. “I'm proud of you.”

Darry inhaled, exhaled, and nodded. “I don't want to go back.”

“Good.”

Wayne made the smallest of movements for the door. Darry's hand lifted.

“Can you stay here, please? Only knowing her, when I don't respond to messages, she'll show up. I won't be so strong in her presence. You know I won't.”

“That's why I came over.” Wayne said, with the kind of relief you feel when you finally think of the movie where you saw a familiar actor before; a little puzzle solved in one sudden burst of clarity. He settled back on his heels.

Darry harrumphed and shook his head, then laughed a little more and turned as they settled on the couch, looking at the TV.

“What's s'funny?” Wayne demanded.

“Oh. Nothing.” He turned the beer bottle upright for a deep drink.

“It's something. Tell me.”

He shrugged. “I’s expecting you to say something completely different is all. You were actin' so weird. Mona was the last thing it made me think of.”

Wayne saw the way Darry's attention drifted straight off into middle distance, Mona Land.

He asked just for the sake of distracting Darry from the daydreams,

“So what did you think of?”

Darry snapped out of it. Glanced at Wayne, giggled, and took another sip. He shook his head. “No. It was sleepy Darry logic and it's stupid.”

“Sleepy Darry Logic?” Wayne proclaimed, pounding his knees lightly with fists. “But those are the best! Fuck, now I'm gettin' it outta ya if I have to pry it.”

“No!”

“Oh, but I only have to tell Katy, and she'll do it all. I'd only have to hold you down.”

“Don't!” Darry cried, batting Wayne's hands away.

Wayne patted Darry's belly and Darry twitched and flinched like Wayne had a joke buzzer in his palm for every touch. And him shirtless made him extra ticklish, so Wayne barely had to touch him at all.

They wrestled and spilled the beer. Darry balled up tight, protecting his vulnerable areas like a pro. Wayne lay over him, pressing him deep into the couch, fingers digging beneath arms and knees for the soft belly; a solid wall of offense against Darry's solid defensive game.

Finally, Wayne had to desist. “Tell me now or the next attack comes when you least expect it.”

Darry groaned and surrendered the information all at once and so fast Wayne hadn't even moved off from his back.

“I thought you were trying to tell me you were in love with me.”

Wayne froze. Pressing Darry bodily into the couch, he felt balanced on that precipice again for all of two seconds before habit kicked in. He flung himself to the far side of the couch and laughed.

He laughed like it was the funniest thing ever. He made himself. Because Sleepy Darry Logic was supposed to be dumb and hilarious. Not….

Well, not something like this. (Something possible--But okay, no, not thinking about that.)

“Told you it was dumb,” Darry laughed with him. They made it into a joke and then somehow moved on. But it wasn't a good joke. Good jokes came back into the conversation again and again. This was nailed shut.

They watched TV until they nodded off--being sure to stay on completely different sides of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

The dogs got restless just after sunrise. One single word popped into Daryl's head and woke him up like a slap in the face.

Mona.

He sat up. Looked around. Wayne was sprawled on the loveseat, barefoot with shirt untucked, one arm across his chest, the other over his head almost like some kind of ballet move. At least it looked that way with his legs skewed like they were across the coffee table.

Daryl giggled and searched for his phone to get a good picture of this. Perfect blackmail material.

Where was his fucking phone?

Oh yeah.

Wayne had it in his shirt pocket. Because of Mona.

Daryl buried his face in his hands. That girl had power over him he couldn't explain. Now she was back. Again. Oh, he felt The Fear.

He let his dogs out so they would shut up. Then he went down the hall to the bedroom and got dressed. It felt weird knowing Mona was back without being contacted by her. Usually, she just sprang up in his life. A text. Or a snapchat. Or right there in the flesh, so pretty, so broken, so haunting.

Chills lifted on his arms just thinking about her eyes. Fuck.

He slammed the top drawer shut a little too hard. The old bowling trophy toppled, which tipped the ashtray which went off the edge and caught his baby toe. He swore colorfully.

The floorboards in the hallway creaked under Wayne's weight. “What's all that crashing and hollering?”

“Just the start of Mona ruining my life. Pert near broke my toe, and I ain't even talked to her yet.”

Wayne appeared in the bedroom door, shirt tucked, boots on. He crossed his arms. “Shouldn't talk to her at all in my opinion.”

“I know. But if she turns up here looking for me…. She's like a fucking drug.”

“You can resist her, Darry. She’s just a woman.”

“So they tell me.”

“Okay, then, think of it this way. If you don't resist her, it'll only be a matter of time before you're hooked on her shit again, in jail, while she's off scott free because it's your fucking van they find the powder in. She leaves you holding the bag every single fucking time. Do you want to be heartbroken in rehab again?”

“Fuck no.”

“Then ya don't acknowledge she even exists. Just got to do it the one time, and she'll get the hint and never come back. Problem solved.”

“You're right.”

The sound of a car in the drive, radio blaring punk rock, made the dogs go crazy out in the yard. Daryl's heart lurched as it got caught between soaring and plummeting.  He met Wayne's eye.

“It's like she's Beetlejuice or something and we just said her name too many times.”

“Just said it once today," Wayne scowled with squinted eyes.

Daryl frowned. “Well that's a technicality. Sure been thinking it pert near non stop.”

Car door. Porch creaking. Door rattling. A syncopated knock, ‘ _shave and a haircut_ \--’

Daryl thumped his dresser with two knuckles to complete the rhythm, ‘-- _two bits_.’

Wayne made a low growl sound like a dog warning another dog off his turf. He moved into action. “Stay there, Dar. I'll get rid of her.”

Wayne strode purposefully to the door. Daryl was too helpless with curiosity to stop himself. He followed, absolutely preoccupied with questions about her.  How was she? How did she look? Was she single? Why was she in Letterkenny?

Darry watched Wayne move rigidly across the living room. A sweet voice called from outside the door,

“Dare Bear? Are you in there?”

Oh Fuck. Darry gulped.

Wayne jerked open the door. Daryl stayed back, out of sight a moment and listened to her surprised response to the towering, scowling Wayne.

“Oh. Hi. Um. I think we've met before.”

“On numerous occasions," Wayne clipped. "I’m Wayne.”

“I'm Mona.”

“I know who ya are. Whaddaya want?”

“Is Darry here?”

“He's indisposed for visitors," Wayne said. Daryl smiled at how it was possible to hear a threatening squint of blue eyes in Wayne's voice.

“Then what are you doing here?” Mona asked.

“I ain't a visitor."

“What does that mean? Wait, are you guys….?”

In a burst of nerve, Daryl stepped around the door. “Yeah. We're dating.”

He felt Wayne's micro reaction, but he did nothing to deny the claim, which was good.

Mona’s jaw dropped, and she smiled. “Oh, Dare Bear! Hi! Wow. So, like, finally, huh?”

Wayne blinked a few times, but Daryl just tried to laugh like life had great little twists and turns. “Finally. Yes. Me and Wayne are finally... stemming the rose and the like.”

“But what about you?” Wayne cut in, a little on the loud side. “We heard you were back in town. Is it a show, or...?”

“Family thing. Funeral.”

Daryl felt like a shithead assuming she was only in town to see him. Wayne spoke for him,

“Oh. Fuck. Well, can't win 'em all.”

“Nope." she took a deep breath. "It's tomorrow, at 1. The wake. For my favorite aunt. She was the only one who got me. So like. It really sucks.” Her voice wavered.

Wayne's hand caught Daryl’s mid reach for the screen door handle. Saving him from that goddamned tractorbeam. Man, if Wayne was't here, Daryl would have her against the wall by now trying to make her feel better about herself...

His dick hardened, and he snapped out of it; squeezed Wayne's hand. “Aunt Ginny was a treasure. I always appreciated how she treated me when we were together.”

Old Aunt Gin was the only person who didn't judge a criminal record or a drug habit. Made it real easy to live in high paradise with Mona. No troubles at all. Except for money to pay for the next fix. Mona always had a scheme to get fast money that, more often than not, landed someone in jail. Almost never herself, though.

“Yeah. Ginny loved you like a son, I think.”

“Well, then I should go with you to the funeral. See her off properly.”

Wayne snaked an arm around Daryl’s neck and disguised it as a lover's comforting hug (though it was a smidge too tight) as he said, “Of course we'll go.”

“Good. Um. Tomorrow. One o'clock.”

“See you then. “

She hesitated, waved and sauntered back to her beat up old car. The dogs harassed her. She stopped and pet them all, baby talk and kisses until half of them were ready to jump in the car and go with her. Daryl sympathized.

Only Wayne held him in place like a rock.

They watched Mona drive away. Wayne slowly released Daryl.

“What the fuck did you just do, Dar?”

“Don't rightly know. I blacked out. I don't remember what I said or what I did.”

“Well you did okay. Not great, but okay. And see now... Now we have to go to a funeral. As lovers.”

“Lovers? You’n me? In front of Mona?”

“It was yer fucking idea."

Daryl felt something hot spread through his chest. “Well. So we don't go. Right?”

“Not go? Now that's not appropriate. We said we would attend. They’ll prepare enough food to feed us and then we don't show, that'll be two plates gone to waste. Plus, Gin was a good sort. She is the one who bailed you out of jail those two times. The least you can do is go to her funeral.”

“I can't go alone.”

“That's why I said I'd go.” Wayne said. “It’s just a day. Stick close to me and don't say too much and Mona will leave town after the burial and never come back.”

“She certainly won't come back with Ginny dead and me, apparently, shacked up with a man.”

“Finally,” Wayne said lightly, eyes narrowed again.

Daryl had some flashbacks. One was minutes ago, when she said that. The others were scattered, hazy memories of long winded conversations in dark, smokey vans where he and Mona talked about dreams and tried to interpret them. He neatly stepped over all that and pretended not to notice.

“So tomorrow is the final hurdle. I'm hours away from total freedom for the first time since fifteen.”

“Easy. Don't get so ahead. One thing at a time.”

“Kay.”

“Right now we get it in gear and do some chorin.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

Wayne took two steps onto the porch, stopped, and turned. “Let's not say anything to Katy.”

“No.”

“Good. Now pitter patter.”

::::::

Wayne whistled for Gus and the dog trotted alongside him back to the house. Darry was half a step behind on the other side.

They didn't speak.

Wayne stomped over open flat land and felt like he was on a fuckin’ tight rope instead. He was getting tired of this wobbly feeling, but fuck it if he knew how to make it go away. Or even what the fuck it was.

In the house, Katy served breakfast and brought up Mona point blank. Never was one for beating around the bush.

“Darry," she said, so sweet it made him pause with yogurt halfway to his mouth.

His lips twitched. “Yeah, Katy Kat?”

“Please tell me you haven't talked to her yet.”

“Who? Mona? Yep. Just saw her.”

Katy let both arms flop to table. “What? Wayne, the fuck happened to The Plan?”

“I never said I had a plan, only we _needed_ a plan.”

“A plan? What fer?”

“You. You idiot. To keep you away from her.”

“Oh,” Darry giggled.

Katy starred, and Wayne took pity on her confusion.

“I went over early, and I confiscated his phone and then cock blocked him when she showed up at his door first thing this morning. She got him to agree to go to a funeral tomorrow but nothing else.”

Katy’s eyes flared with approval. “Way to go, Daryl. Resisting the siren. And Wayne, for a Not Plan, that was solid. Good job. We might actually avoid hurricane Mona this time.”

“I just have to get through the funeral without promising nothing and that should be it.”

“Yeah?” Katy asked.

“Yeah. It’s her aunt that's dead. No other family tolerates her enough to keep her coming back anymore.” Wayne supplied.

“So when Darry gives her the heave ho she’ll be gone for good. I like it! Do you want me to come with you? Help you stay sane?”

“Wayne's already doing that.”

“Yeah, I already told her I'd be there. Awkward wake full of old people, likely. You never even met the woman. Save yourself.”

“No arguing there, big bro. Hope the wake serves alcohol.”

“Me too,” Wayne and Darry said in unison.


	3. Chapter 3

Wayne washed the truck. Darry washed his hair. They both put on their best black shirts and drove over to the funeral home. The parking lot was full of nice cars. Mona had a huge, wealthy family. She had been born with abundant opportunities yet one or two curve balls had sent her spiraling and rather than use what tools she had to save herself, she chose to burn everything in reach and never accept responsibility.

Casting a sideways glance at his best pal, Wayne saw Darry scrub his palms nervously on his jeans and breathe out unsteadily. It hurt to see Darry unsure of himslef. Even sober he was often awkward or slightly moronic but he was these things with gusto. Hesitation wasn't his real style. That was the disease of addiction clawing at his confidence.

“Ground rules," Wayne said into the quiet of the cab.

“Let's hear them, big shoots.” Darry said, voice betraying the slightest of nerves as he looked at the building.

“No PDA at funerals. It’s poor taste.”

“Define PDA, then.”

“Like.” Wayne blinked a lot. “Unnecessary touching. So like. Same stuff as like at yer door this morning. I’ll hold yer hand to hold ya back. Hug ya if you're being too stupid. But nothing else. We let them say we are dating and we don't correct them but maybe don't talk about it much ourselves.”

“We need to get our story straight, then. Fer when they ask.”

“We started dating a year ago.”

“Say the anniversary just passed.” Darry declared.

“Let's just make that my birthday so's I don’t forget.”

“Kay.”

“And is that the anniversary of the first date?”

“What else would it be?”

“Some couples keep track of first kisses and the first night together.”

Darry shrugged. “What if it was all three?”

“You're not usually that kind of girl, Dar, but to keep it simple then fuck it. All three.”

Darry giggled. “You had a pretty good birthday that year then, eh?”

Wayne tried not to laugh and was only mildly successful. He parked the truck and they walked inside.

Immediately, old folks wanted to know who they were to Ginny. Mona appeared quick and started introducing them as “Daryl, he used to live with me and Gin, and Wayne, his boyfriend now.”

After about the third time, it started to sound normal.

They took their turn at the open casket.

“Can’t win em all, Aunt Gin.” Wayne said to her. He judged her against the picture mounted beside the box. “But she does look real peaceful.”

“She was a peaceful lady,” Darry concurred pensively. His eyes were focused on the past, and his voice was gravelly. “I just hope me’n Mona didn’t cause her too much trouble. She was the type to grin and bare it, y'know? Never would’ve said anything even if we were breaking her heart.”

“I can't stop worrying about that, too.” Mona appeared beside him, so suddenly, Wayne felt Darry’s infinitesimal jolt. Wayne laced his fingers through Darry's. Callouses. Wayne knew what each and every one of them were from. Working their farm. The thought made Wayne squeeze without thinking about it.

Mona stood looking down into the casket with tear streaked eyes.  “I should have done better by her. She practically raised me and I never thanked her for it.”

Darry, eyes only for her, put a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into it. Wayne tugged Darry's hand and might as well have been tugging Aunt Ginny’s for the response he got.

“She knows how much you loved her.” Darry said.

“Yes. Thanks for coming, Dare Bear--or, Daryl, I guess I should say.”

“If you would. Please and thanks.” Wayne said shortly.

Mona straightened up and Darry retracted his hand guiltily from where it lingered on her. Wayne set his chin forward and squinted.

“So. Guess you’ll be hitting the road again. Heard you guys had a gig near here.”

“The band does but I'm not going to make it.”

“What fer?”

“Got too much to do here. Gin left me the house.”

Darry’s jaw dropped. “Wow. That's wonderful.”

Mona's eyes filled with tears and her lips wobbled as she nodded. Darry let go of Wayne's hand and pulled her into a hug this time. “See? she did know what she meant to you.”

Wayne put his hands in his pockets, surveyed the ceiling. He couldn’t exactly kick up a fuss about Darry hugging a woman in mourning in front of an open coffin. But boy howdy was he tempted.

The hug lasted so long Wayne started counting Mississippi's and reached ten before giving Darry’s coat tail a good yank.

He released her promptly, dashed a thumb over each of his eyes so fast Wayne got dizzy. He hadn’t realized the tears were flowing, and he hadn't seen Darry cry in years. Now he felt like an ass.

“Anyway,” Mona said as if getting back on topic, “I'm sticking around for a while. Until I get the place cleaned out and fixed up for a good sale.”

“Selling it?” Darry asked, surprised inflection forced. His eyes flicked to Wayne.

It surprised no one she was liquidating the value ASAP. That was a good house, worth plenty of zeroes. She must have felt like she was sitting on a goldmine.

Mona simply nodded. “I’m on the road so much....”

They nodded along like it was a good plan, but honestly Wayne felt the urge to explain the sense in keeping a bought and paid for house and the land it sat on. Maybe it didn't seem like much to someone who dreamed of punk rock stardom--not when the cash value more closely matched the vision of riches--but money would only go so far. A good house would last a lifetime.

He kept his lips zipped. It wasn’t his business.

“Need help with the fix up?”

“Darry!” Wayne snapped, too loud.

People looked over. Wayne bit his tongue and tried to look apologetic when he was madder than hell.

He met Darry’s eye and asked plainly without words, _the fuck you doing?_

Darry looked back with the calm assurity of a gambler on a high roller and spoke to Mona. “Me and Wayne can help ya out.”

 _No._ Wayne thought hard. _No we can not. Shut the fuck up, Darry!_

“Really?” Mona exclaimed, clutching Darry’s arm. “That's so nice! Thank you! Oh, thank you. I don’t even know where to begin.”

Wayne clamped his teeth and forced a smile at her. He could already fucking see what was coming. She’d get Darry to do every bit of the work without lifting a finger herself.

“Me n Wayne love handy projects. Don't we, babe?”

Wayne felt a weird tingle at the unexpected nickname, probably just relief that Darry was remembering they were supposed to be boyfriends. He smiled. “Uncle Eddie used to say an idle mind is the devil's playground.”

“So we keep busy.” Darry said conversationally.

Mona gave him a long, significant look. She squeezed his hand. “You did good for yourself. I'm happy for you.”

:::::

Back in the truck, Wayne asked. “What was the thinking back there, bud?”

“The sooner we sell that house, the sooner she is out of my life fer good.”

“Well, can't argue there. Still. You're giving unpaid labor to the spoiled rich girl who ruined yer life just so she wouldn't get cut off.”

“That one really was a misunderstanding, I think.”

“No it wasn't, Darry. Her super religious family said no sex before marriage and when they found you had had sex, she said you forced her. Her dad called the law. You have a rape charge on your record, Darry."

"She did come clean about that one though. She told the truth, and she apologized."

"While you were in jail. Too little too late."

"We were kids. She was sheltered. She didn't know the seriousness of the accusation."

"No, she just didn't give a fuck about consequences. She just wanted to rebel against her step mom, but not suffer any punishment."

"But, I mean, their rules were kind of crazy. Hell, she was eighteen and they wouldn't let her go to the movies with her friends."

"Yeah, so what, Darry. They were hard asses. Like my folks. Katy and me followed the rules and didn't suffocate or die or whatever Mona thought would happen if she respected her folks while she lived under their roof."

"Yer not being fair. She stood up to them after that. She cut herself off and went to live with Aunt Gin."

"So what was her excuse after that?She shoplifted all the time and got you onto hard drugs, and then she let ya OD in her bathtub--”

“Yeah. Okay. I get it. Stop listing the things.”

“Just feel like you need a reminder is all. She’s got a sweet energy, but I've never met a more self destructive and selfish girl in my life. She doesn't love you Darry, she just loves using you.”

“She thinks that's love,” Darry said, rough. “And I tell you what. That makes it feel the same from my end. Hard to resist being wanted like that.”

Wayne gripped the steering wheel hard. He fucking hated being reminded that Darry was alone in the world. Co-owning the farm was meant to fix that, but every so often Darry could deliver a line about sleeping alone that winded Wayne, because how was he supposed to fix that?

He drove down the highway while figuratively backing slowly away from that deep dark chasm he had stumbled upon last night.

“The farm is on the sex offenders registry, Dar. Just think about why.”

He sighed hard. “I know.”

“Rape and soliciting prostitution.”

“Jesus,” Darry said, loud, “Don't say ‘em together like that! Makes it sound like I bought and beat up a hooker. I had a mini misunderstanding with my girlfriend in high school. Then about eleven years later, I got arrested for buying it from a stripper who gave me the clap. Two different things.”

Wayne chuckled. “You went to that strip club when Mona left you the third time. So fer the record, that's three attempts to date her and,” he counted off on his fingers, “Cried rape. Overdose. STD. Want to try for a murder charge next?”

“I get it… But keep goin’. It’s helping.”

Wayne had gas for days on a good Mona rant.

:::::

Partly because it was a Solid Plan signed off on by Katy, and partly simply because his rant wasn’t over, but Wayne went home with Darry that evening. They ate a small dinner (still stuffed from the feast at the wake) and watched more TV as Wayne continued to question Mona’s character. Of course by now, he had burned through the kindling and had a hotbed of coals. Now the topic was Darry’s character. A sort of contrast and compare essay. A mirror so Darry could see the negative change she always brought to his personality.

Darry giggled.

“Now how’s that funny? It’s basic hygiene, Darry. She makes you drop _basic hygiene_.”

“Not that, Wayne. You just complimented me.”

He blinked. Darry rocked the neck of his beer bottle to indicate the beginning of the sentence. “You said I have gorgeous hair and skin.”

“I mean it isn't greasy, no acne.”

“Wayne thinks I'm gorgeous.” Darry said, pleased as punch, to the nearest dog. The rat terrier tilted its head. Darry gave him an all dressed chip, so the others rocketed from under furniture to get their share. Darry fed them all--

“Not Stormy!” Wayne closed a hand around his dog’s muzzle to stop the chip’s entry.

“Aw, c’mon. She seen her brothers get some.”

“Two things. One, a German Shepherd and rat terriers are third cousins at best. And two, she has a delicate diet. Not supposed to feed dogs off your plate anyway.”

"You feed Gus off your plate."

"Gus is a senior and has earned it. Stormy is still young. Don't feed her from yer plate."

“Don't got a plate. It’s a bag,” Darry said, around a mouth full of chips. “And they aren't cousins. They all grew up together, so that makes them brothers.”

“We grew up together. If that makes us brothers then pretending to be your sweetie is super inappropriate.”

“Different for people.”

“How so?”

“Well. We live longer “

“So?”

“So we have more stages to life. Childhood. Adolescence. Puberty. Adulthood. Fer dogs, it’s like. Puppyhood then puberty and that's it.”

“I think dogs have adulthoods. Because dogs can have senior years. If dogs have their senior years then they have regular adult years. They have the same as us just shrunk on the scale.”

“Still it’s shrunk. And I'm not talking biologically. But like. Socially. Dogs don't have grade school and retirement--well, _most_ don't have have retirement,” he amended quickly before Wayne could jump in about competitive dogs like Gus and Stormy. “They don't have social stages in life besides being a puppy and being full grown. People are different is all I'm saying. More stages means more evolution, means brotherhood...evolves.”

Wayne stood up to let Stormy out. “Away go. Food bowl. Away go to food bowl.”

She shot toward the house for her proper dinner. Wayne watched her go, slightly envious. Running through the fields right now sounded strangely good. He had enough energy for it. Wayne stepped over to the kitchen sink to dump his beer dregs, mainly just trying find his footing.

What did Darry mean brotherhood evolves?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wayne is obviously biased in his judgement of the past. Darry isn't wholly innocent in all things,and he just can't say no to the ones he loves.


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl heard his phone buzz several times throughout the evening. Wayne checked it every time and never said a word which meant it was all Mona. Daryl tried not to wonder what she was saying. Nothing important or Wayne would say.

Thank god for Wayne.

Daryl knew what trouble he would be in by now if he hadn't come over. It was kind of mind boggling to be sitting here on the couch with Mona in town, wanting to hang out with him, and not care. He didn't care.

“I really don't care,” Daryl said when Wayne checked the phone again. “...S’weird feeling.”

“Proud of you.” Wayne stated firmly.

Daryl felt good. “I dunno. S’like. I don't need her s’bad.”

“Good. Because you don’t need her at all.”

“‘cause I got you.”

“And Katy and even Dan.”

“No. I mean. Physically. Right now you’re here. I'm not lonely. If I felt lonely I'd be racing over there.”

“You know you're always welcome at the house. Anytime.”

Daryl hummed ruefully. “I think Katy gets annoyed with me after a little while, though.”

“Katy is annoyed with everything. Just ignore her and stay in the guest room whenever you like.”

“Seems silly to when I got this private mansion.” He lifted his hands to indicate the small, poorly lit living room/kitchen area.

Wayne chuckled. “If being lonely is the problem though, private isn't what ya want.”

“Katy’ll say I got four dogs to keep me company.”

“Well I’ll say four dogs isn’t a substitute for good conversation. Maybe we should make her live alone, see how lonely it can get.”

Daryl hummed again. “And it does get lonely.”

Wayne was silent a bit. “Never lived alone my whole life.”

“Don't. It sucks.”

They passed out on the same couch that night.

:::::

Wayne woke just enough to know he was sleeping upright on a couch. Darry’s couch. And that was Darry curled up on him so close and warm and soft. Wayne sighed with comfort and felt himself start to fall--

He jolted awake, hard. Well not hard, except--no, yeah, he was semi hard. Fuck.

His violent flinch woke Darry, who likewise pulled away in alarm. Wayne lifted his feet onto the coffee table, disguising his chubby as casually as he knew how.

“Morning,” he said.

“Yeah.” Darry got up, high stepped over sleeping dogs crowding his feet. In the kitchen, he hocked a loogie and sent it flying into the sink as he set a coffee pot to boil. The sun was barely beginning to rise. The dogs were still half asleep themselves, though the more Darry moved around the more alert they became. Once they started dancing, Darry let them all outside.

Wayne accepted the coffee cup gratefully. Couch sleeping two nights in a row was not such a good idea.

“Thanks for staying over again.”

Wayne sipped and massaged his neck. “You're coming up to the house tonight. No arguing.”

Darry lifted his hands in surrender.

They finished the coffee, then went over to the house for breakfast with Katy. She wanted details of the funeral, which they shared without mentioning they had presented as a couple.

“And you resisted her the whole time? Darry! Way to go! Man, what’s changed? How are you immune to her suddenly?”

Darry’s eyes rocked over to Wayne. Then he shrugged. “Just am. S’weird.”

“Good. You know how I feel about her.”

He swallowed yogurt with grim expression. “Y’hate ‘er guts.”

“Damn right I do. Rape is a serious issue that people like her cloud up with petty accusations. You should have never spoken a single word to her again, let alone date her the second you got out of jail.”

“She never meant for it to go that far, and she apologized.”

Katy flared but Wayne waved her down. “Let’s just move on.”

“Fine. I don't really approve of the plan to fix up her house for her but so long as Wayne stays for back up I guess it is the fastest way to get her out of town.”

“Shouldn't take too long. Week or two, at most.”

:::::

The house didn't look too bad. A little run down, like the last few years they just gave up. Mostly it needed the hoarder piles of junk to be hauled away, maybe a coat of paint. Wayne parked beside Mona’s little shitbox.

“We need some more ground rules, babe.”

"You reckon?”

“It's just going to be me, you, and Mona in there. Gonna have to kick the PDA up a notch or two.”

Darry giggled. “Up to where?”

“To Selling It. The only reason she’s leaving you alone is because she thinks you’re mine. We need to sell it, Darry.”

“Kay. So how do you wanna fuck this pig?”

“First, we use cute nicknames, like how ya called me babe before and I repeated it now? Could use others as well.”

“Such as?”

“My sweeties tend to call me sweetie, and I say it back, also I’ve been known to slip out a sugar on occasion. But make it your own in there.”

Darry giggled. “Kay.”

“Prolly gonna need some unnecessary squeeze-bys. Footsy if we’re on a break or sumthin’. Just try to make it casual. Nothing overboard. We’re a year in, so the honeymoon phase is over.”

“Got it, _hon_.”

“Nice,” Wayne chuckled as he walked from the truck to the old house. This was fun. He was keeping Darry safe and happy. Easiest chore ever.

As predicted, Mona had found some easy project to occupy herself with, and worked so slow at it she made ten minutes of work take the full shift. Meanwhile, Wayne and Darry broke heavy sweats loading the truck and trailer with boxes and trashbags and broken furniture.

It took four loads that first day, and they weren't quite done clearing the place but it was a damn good start. Mona was visibly stunned by the progress they made while she 'sorted stuff’ upstairs.

“Oh my god! Look at this! By this rate, we’ll have this place clean by the end of the week!”

“You bet. Next week will be minor repairs. On the market by following weekend. Mark my words.”

“House like this, with the land, she’ll sell quick.”

“Oh, fer sure.”

“Yous guys are sweating. Take a break. Beers in the fridge.”

“Terrific.” Wayne helped himself.

The kitchen was cluttered and smelled a little funny. When he opened the fridge, he found several weeks of groceries going bad inside. No one had bothered to clean this thing out first. Mona had simply shoved rotting sandwich meats to the side to make room for the six pack. Not Puppers. Wayne suppressed a moan of disappointment as he carried three back.

Just before rounding the corner, he heard Mona’s deadly innocent,

“So tell me about farm life with your stud, Daryl.”

Wayne froze. Darry’s voice was slow to answer but finally he said,

“Happier than a pig in shit.”

“Interesting analogy.”

“I'm serious. Mona, my life finally has meaning,” Darry said. “I finally have something that's mine, to be proud of. Wayne’s my best friend. My partner. My… well, my everything. And we have a farm. It’s ours. Wouldn't trade it for the world.”

“You don't mind all the work?”

“Doesn't feel like work. Cows. Chickens. Fresh produce. Simple and efficient.”

“I'd kill myself. Fucking hate it here.”

“Well, you're free of it now. Soon as you sell. And she’ll sell fast.”

Wayne pushed on into the room as they started talking about needed repairs that had already been catalogued. Darry brightened when he saw Wayne and the beer. Wayne’s smile couldn't be helped.

“Here you go, sugar.”

“Oh babe, you’re wonderful.”

Wayne did an unnecessary squeeze by to stand on Darry’s far side. 

“Let’s get some air.” Mona suggested.

They settled out on the porch. Darry and Wayne naturally got the swing. Wayne put his arm across the back. Darry slid right into the very position they woke up in this morning. Felt the same.

Wayne hummed contently. “Nothing like a good day’s work.”

“More like two days, when ya count chorin before this. And we stayed up so late….hoo, I'm tired.”

Darry’s insinuation was pure gold and Wayne couldn't help but smile as he said, “Me too. And we need to stop falling asleep on that fucking couch, baby. It messed up my neck again.”

He made a pouty noise. “Here, let me,” Darry stood up and circled around to rub at Wayne’s neck and shoulders. Since he did have an honest to god crick, and Darry hit the spot just right, he moaned like a dime hooker. “Fuck. Right there, Darry.”

Darry giggled and rubbed on.

Wayne’s eyes were closed but he heard the unmistakable sound of a subtle spit take. Then Mona said, “Well, I appreciate your help, boys. Don’t work so hard on my account, though. Go home and get some rest.”

“Thanks for the beer. We’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Have a good night.”

“You too.”

:::::::

They hoovered Katy’s dinner.

“Geeze, boys. She didn't make you a single refreshment the whole time you were there, did she?”

“She gave us a beer.”

“Don’t defend her.”

“Well, now, it's not fair to go attacking her neither,” Wayne pitched in before Darry could swallow and say something he'd regret. “She’s not actively trying to destroy his life this time, which is real growth on her part.”

“Still. One beer? Pathetic.”

Darry gave a big toothless grin. “I like how protective you are of me, Katy Kat.”

She gave him a rare smile of affection which was undercut by her little dismissive shrug.

“He’s sleeping over,” Wayne said. “He can't be alone and I can’t sleep on his shitty couch again.”

“Guest room’s all set up.”

Darry helped clear the table and gave her a surprise hug. “You’re a good sister.”

“Awe. Don't get soft. And you reek. Take a shower, you greaser.”

He ripped a fart on her and ran for his life. Katy tore after him up the stairs and Wayne collapsed on the couch with laughter.


	5. Chapter 5

Both of them took it easy choring the following morning, conserving energy for the work still ahead. At the house, Mona surprised them with having packed several boxes all on her own. It wasn’t a big stack, but even one was more than they expected.

Though, within the first hour, it became apparent that she was going to do no more than that. She’d acquired paint swatches and wasted the full day deciding what color to paint the walls to cover Aunt Ginny’s smoke ruined wallpaper.

Wayne and Darry worked diligently around her, loading the truck at the house and unloading it at the dump. They were tying down the third load when a red jeep pulled into the driveway.

Katy climbed out with a picnic basket and a superior glare. Mona came out of the house.

Wayne and Darry traded a panicked look. Shit.

Wayne hopped off the bed of the truck and put his back to the porch to take the basket from his sister.

Under his breath he said fast, “Me'n'Darry have been sleeping together for a year.”

Katy blanched. “Excuse me?”

“Katy? Is that you?” Mona called. “You look good, girl!”

Blinking away confusion, Katy sidestepped Wayne and gave Mona a polite smile as she climbed the porch steps. “Thanks. And you look healthy, actually.”

“Yeah, I don't party so hard anymore.”

“Good for you. Hope you worked up an appetite!”

“I know these two have. Cleared the whole first floor already!”

“That's my boys!”

They descended on the basket like wolves. Again, Wayne and Darry got the swing and, as casually as they could, cuddled together to enjoy the little sandwiches and lemonade.

Katy got behind Mona so she could pull a blatant _What The Fuck Boys_ face, but schooled her expression skillfully a second later before Mona saw. Wayne couldn't help but be amused.

They ate in silence while Katy and Mona caught up. Within minutes, they had more of a picture of her life outside of Letterkenny. Specifically any men she was dating.

Darry stopped eating with the sandwich pressed against his lips, bite half chewed, as he listened about the amazing sex she was getting from a bouncer in a club in Toronto.

Wayne had to intervene before Darry did something stupid. He combed Darry’s hair out of his eyes tenderly. The touch pulled him out of the trance. He blinked, dazedly, and looked over at Wayne with wondrous eyes. Then he smiled softly and--fed Wayne the sandwich.

Katy’s attention flickered once or twice over at them, then she watched in the reflection in the house windows. When Mona wasn’t looking, Katy gave Wayne another look, this one playful.

Wayne burned around the ears but ate the food Darry fed him. This was 10-ply, but whatever worked.

“So, Mona,” Katy said, eyes fiery with revenge, daring them to stop her, “What do you think about this? Was it a surprise?”

Mona shined to the topic. “A big one!”

“Right? They keep it pretty lowkey.”

“I’ll say. It’s nowhere on Facebook.”

“Yeah, that’s Wayne.” Katy said.

Darry chirped up with an impression of him. “Why do we have to post everything we do online? Like, who cares?”

Katy and Mona laughed.

“Spot on, Dar. Sounded just like him.” Katy said.

Wayne bristled and defended himself.

“I truly don't get the fuss over it. Facebook should be fer people living out of town who want to stay in touch, not a live stream for friends ya can walk over and see in person. Figure it out.”

“Well, I'm a friend living out of town. How else was I supposed to hear about it? I mean, according to Darry’s profile, he’s single.”

“Oh we’re supposed to take that as gospel truth now? Guess it’s not true if it’s not on the internet. Pictures or it didn't happen, isn't that the saying, Katy?”

“ _Pics_ or it didn't happen, bro.”

“Ridiculous. Think of the hundreds of years of civilization that happened before cameras. Invention of the wheel. Discovering the new world. Suppose none of that happened because we don't have some jackass posing like he just burst into laughter with the caption: hey maybe doctors should wash their hands! It saves lives hashtag Typhoid Mary. Fuck.”

“Anyway, I’m surprised they’re over there just snuggling up a storm,” Katy said. “Especially after the hoops they made me jump through to keep the secret at Darry’s super soft birthday party this year.”

“Oh, get off the cross, we need the wood.”

Mona looked interested. “So what happened at Darry’s super soft birthday party?”

Katy launched into a story of shenanigans the likes of which was entirely believable but utterly false. Wayne was mystified at her ability to spin the yarn, especially the way any detail Wayne or Darry supplied didn't slow her down a bit.

But she did make them sound too soft behind closed doors, though.

Darry was starting to tense up with that need to give himself more of an edge. Wayne didn't blame him. If Katy went too far, no one would believe it was the Toughest Guy In Letterkenny she was talking about.

 _Flying too close to the sun, Kiddo,_ he tried to say with his eyes.

Mona rested her chin on her palm and looked right at them like a soap opera. “Darry, tell me about the first kiss. When did it happen?”

“Oh, great story there.” Katy said, happily, “Go on, Dar.  Tell her what Wayne did.”

Wayne grit his teeth at Katy for making the story have to be interesting now.

“It was on his birthdee,” Darry said. “They don’t make a big deal out of birthdees in this family. Except fer mine.”

“It’s tradition and ya don't fuck with tradition.”

“Anyway, it just happened to happen on his birthdee.”

“Best birthdee.” Wayne declared.

Darry giggled, blushed and giggled some more. “Well, Katy saw it so we’ve never had to tell the story before.”

“You wanna know what? Could just show her.” Wayne said, blinking.

“ _Definitely_ just show her.” Katy agreed, eyes bright.

Darry scratched his head. “Kay. So... picture a game night.  We’re playing trivial pursuit.”

Katy jumped in. “I read from the card ‘how many time zones does Canada have’ and then--”

Out of nowhere, like lightning, Darry frenched the hell out of Wayne.

His tongue was big and powerful and tasted like the food they just shared. It was masculine. Very different from even the most aggressive female kiss. Wayne zeroed in on the scratch of beard and the size of Darry’s hand locking his head in place, and almost forgot Katy’s prompt that Wayne had apparently done something worth mentioning.

He remembered this when Darry came up for air and then went back to it with a soft hum. Wayne's body sort of melted but his mind sparked. This was going to continue until Wayne did The Thing.... Whatever the thing was....

Fuck. It was hard to think while getting kissed like this. Mainly because kisses like this were designed to make a man not think.

But they couldn't very well carry on like this on Aunt Ginny’s porch swing in front of Katy and Mona. And you just know Katy was filming the whole thing.

Wayne did the first thing he thought of that would end a kiss and be worth mentioning later to a friend from out of town.

He burped as hard as he could, straight into Darry’s mouth.

It was a loud one, with taste to it. Darry gagged with a force that made Wayne worry the sandwiches were coming back. They got away from each other fast, then met each other’s eyes, and laughed.

Katy was off her seat, howling on her back on the porch. Mona was laughing too and squealing the way girls do when guys do gross stuff on purpose.

“Great, right?” Katy wheezed between cackles, wiping her eyes.

Darry looked violated and Wayne felt bad enough to pull him back in for a hug and a hair ruffle.

Darry’s eyes sparkled. “That one tasted like mayonnaise. The first one was pure fumes from the whiskey, so I didn’t gag. We just laughed our asses off.”

“I'm sorry ‘bout the mayonnaise, sweetie.”

“Gonna be tasting that for a week.”

“Gross! Urgh.” Mona shuddered. “I think I might be traumatized. Go take the load of junk to the landfill already.” She waved them away like pests.

They went back to work, still glowing with mirth. Katy dropped them a discreet wink. Wayne felt good.

Their little charade suddenly had legs. And teeth. Wayne noticed a different kind of slant to Mona’s shoulders and lips. Like she truly believed now that Darry was off the market.

Katy offered to stick around and help choose paint color. They tied the furniture down and set off for the flea market. In the truck, Darry ran his hands through his hair.

“Katy is diabolical, but, uh. What was the thinking back there, Wayne? Saying we should just show her?”

That was a good question. He clicked his tongue. “Words only take ya so far into a ruse. Katy was over there blathering about us so much we were starting to sound like characters in airport novels. Thought a little money where her mouth was would help. What was your thinkin’? Like, maybe you wanted to taste the back of my tonsils?”

“If I was ever gonna kiss you in front of Katy I’d’ve had to be drunk. I play tonsil hockey when I'm sloshed and that's a fact. You fuckin'  _burped_ in my fuckin'  _mouth_.”

Wayne grinned. “Sorry. It was a panic move. Spun it into gold though.”

“I just almost spit right down your throat, I hope you know.”

Wayne shuddered. They laughed and laughed then fell quiet. The small hairs on Wayne’s arms lifted when he thought about the heat of Darry’s mouth.


	6. Chapter 6

That evening in Wayne’s kitchen as Darry and Wayne slumped in after the day’s backbreaking labor and evening chores, they were greeted by Katy slamming the dinner onto the table. Her mouth was a taut line and she barely looked at either one of them. “You boys ever plan on letting me in on it?”

“It wasn't exactly planned, Katy Kat.”

“You're damn lucky I was there to back your story up today.”

“You went a little overboard on the storytellin’, actually.” Wayne groused. “Hearing the way you tell it, every time a door closes Darry hops on my horn. There just ain't no reason for that kind of picture paintin'. We’re gay people. Not sex crazed animals.”

Katy served the main course but paused as she removed the oven mit. “Did you just include yourself as a gay person?”

Wayne sat in his chair and blinked as he frowned and generally hated Katy's question. Darry swooped in before Wayne had to answer. “Why were we lucky you were there, Katy Kat? I thought we were doing just fine without you.”

“Negative, super chief,” Katy tossed her hair over her shoulder. “While yous two were cozying up, I could tell that Mona wasn't totally convinced, and I'm not surprised since you fuckin' basics said you were a year in but couldn't even think to put it on your fuckin' Facebook.”

“Why would we put it on our Facebook when it was supposed to be one lie to one person who was supposed to leave town directly after the funeral?”

“I will say,” Darry praised. “You did kinda save our asses by blaming our lack of facebook presence on Wayne. Sailed us right out of a tight spot we didn't even know we were in.”

“Well, pitter patter,” Katy wagged her phone to indicate theirs. “Change your statuses.”

“Hard no.”

“Why not? You told everyone at Ginny’s funeral you're boyfriends. Think that's not going to get around?”

“If we go and change our status now, it looks suspicious.” Wayne declared. “She’ll know we’re only covering our asses to maintain the lie.”

Katy sighed, crossing her arms and leaning on the table with a smile that said she was over whatever betrayal she had felt. “But I have to say. It is a pretty fucking brilliant strategy, bro. Marking Darry as property of Wayne would keep even the hungriest wolves at bay.”

Darry preened, “It's kinda fun to be property of you, bud.”

Wayne cut his eyes to Darry. “Just so long as you’re not property of Mona, Dar.”

“She does seem the most stable I've ever seen her,” Katy said. “Maybe she’s finally growing up.”

“I kinda thought so, too,” Darry gushed. “And did you hear how she said she’s missing gigs with her band to handle the estate? Oh that's a super mature move that Old Mona would have never done. Gigs used to be Old Mona’s first priority.”

Wayne and Katy met eyes over the table during this. Wayne clapped Darry on the shoulder. “Take about 50% off there, Dar. She’s not New Mona.”

“But she is.”

Wayne lifted a hand and ticked off on his fingers, “She's still in the same crap band with the same kind of useless skids she's been running with since high school. She still fuckin' hates Letterkenny and farming, both of which are your entire life. And she out right bragged that she's maintaining a string of fellas at all her regular gig spots. Fuck knows what color she’ll leave your dick when she's off it. Figure it out.”

Darry frowned. “Suppose yer talkin' sense.”

“You're goddamn right we are, Darry. Darry, looked at me. Look at me, Darry.” Wayne used two fingers to point at his own eyes until Darry met his gaze. “Just as sure as I wasn't meant to be the fightless man on a leash that Angie twisted me into, you're not meant to be the man Mona makes out of you.”

::::::

By noon on the third day of the Mona project, Wayne and Darry had totally cleared the house of the piles of junk and trash. In the same allotted time, Mona picked a color for the kitchen walls.

With a pad of paper, Wayne and Darry went through the whole house, writing down all that needed doing. Then they took their break out on the porch when Katy showed up again with another picnic, and the three of them talked it all through with Mona.

The walls needed a fresh coat in every room. New carpet throughout wouldn't be a bad idea. The bathroom sink had leaked and rotted the cabinets beneath. An upstairs window was replaced with plywood. The back door hung crooked and drug across the kitchen linoleum, wearing a hole the shape of a clean arc. And the outside of the house needed new underpinning and a coat of paint.

“God, that's a lot of work,” Mona lamented. “New Linoleum. New carpet. All that paint. Lumber. Fuck, it sounds expensive.”

“This house is a tad run down, but its solid,” Wayne said. “And it's a great plot of land. Once its fixed up, you'll make a hell of a profit.”

“Gotta spend money to make money,” Katy said.

“I can't even pay you boys for the labor you've done so far. Fuck. Do you think it'd sell as is?”

“Maybe,” Darry grimaced. “But you wouldn't get near as much. And finding a buyer willing to fix it up will take longer.”

Silence fell as Mona chewed a thumbnail, looking devastated and confused. Wayne noticed Katy staring at Darry so shot his pal a look and found him wearing some  _I’ll Help You, Sweetheart_ eyes.

Wayne dropped a hand on Darry’s thigh and squeezed as he pitched his voice to Mona, “If you don't have anything to cover supplies, we can spot you. Don't you think, hon?” he squeezed Darry’s thigh even tighter. Darry snapped out of it and cleared his throat.

“Uh, yeah! Sure! I mean our farm does alright.” He dropped a hand on Wayne’s. “We might have enough put away to cover things here. You can get square with us after you make the sell. Just the cost of supplies.”

“Oh my god, really?” Mona locked eyes with Darry like she could kiss him. Like it was all his idea when it had actually been Wayne’s.

Wayne didn't even think as he put his arm around Darry and scooped him close. Darry chuckled and nuzzled into Wayne's neck. “Awe. Helping when he can, that's my Wayne.”

A flutter went through Wayne from his head to his curlin toes in his boots. Wayne met Katy’s eye, and he could see that she wasn't totally cool with the idea of trusting that Mona would actually pay them back. Darry hadn't lied. The farm had some money put aside for emergencies. But it was not exactly enough to gamble with.

Shooting his sister a look that asked her to trust him, Wayne wondered how he might go about getting something in writing that would hold Mona legally accountable for squaring the debt.

::::

After their sandwiches, they went back to work ripping out the rotten bathroom sink. Katy stayed to help expedite Mona’s swatch picking and make a more comprehensive list of what to buy in town to get repairs underway.

She caught Wayne alone out by the truck where he had gone to fetch a crowbar from his toolbox.

“Do you not remember what happened the second time Darry was in jail and she was living in his van and it broke down? We gave her the money to have it serviced but she skipped town and left the van to be towed.”

“Obviously, no money or check will ever touch her hands this time. We buy the stuff directly.”

“And she's going to pay us back?”

“Look, Katy, do you want her out of Darry’s life for good or not?”

“You know I do. But maybe we should just give it to her straight and tell her to fuck off.”

“Never worked in the past. Plus, this whole thing is Darry's idea. Honestly, if keeping him this side of the bars and sober costs me half my savings then I'll pay it. Fer fuck sake, it's Darry we’re talking about.”

Katy crossed her arms, studying Wayne as if she suddenly saw something interesting. “I hope you know what you're doing.”

“Wayne!” Darry shouted from the porch.

Wayne spun--half expecting to find Darry pinned by Mona with her fangs poised over his jugular--only to find his buddy wiping his hands on a rag as he jogged down the porch steps, curls flopping on each step. Mona followed looking upset.

“What?”

“We have a problem, baby.”

“Spit it out.”

Darry just motioned for them to follow. In the bathroom, Wayne took one look at the hole in under the sink where the floor joists were showing and swore profusely. Mona burst into tears.

“What is it?” Katy asked from the back.

“Termites. Fucking termites!”

“That’s bad isn't it?” Mona wailed. “It's not structurally sound when it's eaten up by termites, right? No one will buy a house that's about to fall down!”

Darry turned and held her shoulders. “Calm down, Mone, it's not as bad as that. Looks like we caught it in time. But--” he looked to Wayne, “A fumigation is going to be very expensive.”

Wayne grit his teeth. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He stormed out of the bathroom, walking right between Darry and Mona, knocking her from Darry’s grip. He caught Darry’s arm and pulled him outside.

Fresh air helped him stay calm.

“This is going to cost every penny we have put away,” Wayne said.

Darry crossed his arms. “Once she sells, we get it back.”

Wayne just leveled a look at Darry.

“I’ll make sure we get it back.”

“How?”

Darry took both Wayne’s hands in his and stepped a little close. “She’s looking,” he said lowly.

Wayne pulled Darry even closer. “I was willing to lose half our savings but all of it? Fuck, Dar. This is getting out of hand.”

Katy approached with her hands in her back pockets. “Well, boys. I wasn't going to say anything, but I was looking at Mona’s Facebook page last night, and she's been posting plans to take online courses. Judging by how devastated she is in there, I think she was actually very serious about it. She must have started to count on the money from this house to pay tuition.”

“We have to help her, Wayne!” Darry, still holding Wayne’s hands, squeezed them. “ _Please_. You two saved me. Can't you help me save her? She might turn out half decent like me if we just give her the same chances you guys gave me.”

Wayne’s gut twisted. He recognized a strange urge to walk away and leave Mona to drown. It somehow seemed preferable to the idea of Darry’s first love getting up on her feet. A mature, stable and even responsible Adult Mona that Darry ended up with?

No, that somehow didn't feel preferable at all.

So Wayne wanted to walk away and keep Darry. But over lunch, Darry had nuzzled him and bragged, _helping when he can. That’s my Wayne._

Darry held his hands now and his eyes seemed to be begging him, _be my Wayne._

He did, technically, have the money and time to help.

“Fuck a Duck, bud. If she never pays us back, I'm withholding your share of the farm’s profits until the savings is built back up.”

“Deal!” Darry went to his toes and kissed Wayne right on the nose.

Wayne caught his breath and then Katy’s eye. She still had that Interested look.

Darry lead the way back inside. Katy's tickled little grin made Wayne feel bashful that she had seen that. Then she winked.

Wayne grinned at the toe of his boots as he brought up the rear of the group headed back inside.

:::::::

Katy said she had other stuff to do and left early. When Wayne and Darry finished tearing out the rest of the sink, they met the fumigators. It was to be a massive job, at least a week.

With no other choice in the matter, they brought Mona home with them. Katy had an extra place set at the dinner table and Mona volunteered to help finish preparing the meal.

Impressed, Katy accepted the offer and Darry looked proud.

“Go wash up, boys. It’ll be done in a couple of minutes.”

In his bedroom, Wayne found extra pillows on his bed and some of Darry’s clothes in the top drawer of his dresser. The closet also had Darry’s shirts hanging neatly on one side, over his spare boots and a pile of clean folded jumpsuits.

“Wayne?” Darry called from the bathroom down the hall.

Wayne joined a freshened up Darry at the sink, where an unfamiliar toothbrush propped next to his in the cup. Banana Boat sunscreen, a different brand of shaving cream, and a second razor. He wiggled a big black comb that was not Katy’s.

“What’s my stuff doing here?”

“Katy.” Wayne surmised. “Looks like she moved your stuff into my room too.”

“She’s got good attention to detail.”

Wayne smirked as he traded places with Darry at the sink to wash his hands and face for dinner. He shook his head at the thought of Katy toting a box of Darry’s shit all the way across the front field just to set up this domestic proof of a year long commitment. Then he thought of that sweet nose kiss again and couldn't help but smile. Hard to say who was having more fun with this ruse, really.

“You wanna know what?” Darry reappeared at the bathroom door, buttoning up a clean shirt. Wayne busied himself drying the water droplets on his neck and tried not to notice the dopey look on Darry’s face, because getting ready in the same bathroom was intimate enough without a look like that.

“I think Katy’s right about Mona turning over a new leaf.” Darry said, effectively shattering Wayne’s good mood. Annoyance rippled under his skin. Darry didn't notice.

“She’s down there cooking dinner right now. You tell me that doesn't smack of a girl trying her best. Tell me.”

Wayne put the hand towel neatly back in the ring.

“No, you are right, Darry. She is trying. But hold those horses, bud.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s trying, and that's good. But she doesn't need to try too much at once. What’s it that Squirrelly Dan was always telling you in the beginning?”

“One thing at a time. Walk before I run.”

Wayne patted Darry’s belly on the way past him. “Exactly.”

“You're right. Hey, maybe we should invite Dan on over for dinner tonight.”

Wayne paused, a jolt of worry coursing through him. “Feeling some old temptations there, bud?”

Not meeting Wayne’s eye, Darry shrugged. “It just seems like a good idea for my sponsor to actually meet my weakness that he’s heard so much about.”

Wayne gripped Darry’s shoulder. “I think inviting Dan is a great idea.”


	7. Chapter 7

Squirrelly Dan needed only to hear the word Mona and he arrived promptly after the call, in full blown Sponsor mode. It had been years since he was anything other than a plain old buddy to Darry, but he still took his duties seriously when he was called upon.

Wayne met Dan outside. “Dan, how are ya now?”

“Good, Wayne, n'you?”

“Not s'bad.”

“What's this I hears about you and Darry?”

“What now?”

“My aunt Judy says to me that she met yous twos at her husband’s cousin Ginny’s funeral and according to her, yous two were actin’ pert near married.”

“It's all so Mona won't crawl in his bed,” Wayne said. “So go with it. We have been going on 'bout a year but we’re super low key about it, so probably you didn't even know until recently. Got it?”

“Lying isn't exactly encouraged in the program, Wayne, but I trusts your judgement.”

Inside the house, Dan dragged Darry briefly into the den to talk with some privacy. Wayne figured Dan was ascertaining Darry’s stress and self esteem levels, as well as his feelings toward keeping his sobriety. Wayne wished he could be included in the conversation, as he wanted to know these things, too.

They had just emerged from the den with smiles and back slaps as Mona came downstairs. She stopped at the sight of someone unfamiliar.

“Mona,” Darry said. “This is Dan. He's my sponsor and he also works here on the farm with us. He'll be joining us for dinner.”

“Your sponsor? Well, nice to meet you!” Mona went straight in for a hug.

Dan’s dimples showed and he blushed as he hugged the pretty girl. Wayne suddenly questioned if it was smart to introduce them. Even if it had been a little longer ago than Darry’s, Dan had his own issues with drugs and poor choices, right?

Everyone sat at the dinner table.

Dan launched right into how he met Darry, spewing the benefits of narcotics anonymous and how it utterly changed his life. He bragged that he now had a steady respectable career, his own place, some college credits under his belt and even a real nice gal of a sweetie.

Mona was quick to pick up on what Dan was not subtly laying down. “You must know I used to party with Darry.”

“Well, now, your name came ups a times or two is all I'll say.”

She laughed and flirtily shoved Darry’s shoulder. “You're hoping to recruit me into your little brainwashing club, Dare Bear!”

“Brainwashing?” Katy echoed flatly.

Ignoring Katy altogether, Mona continued, “That's so sweet, but really. You don't have to worry about me. I have it under control and I'm better than ever.”

“They have meetings all across Canada,” Darry said. “You could attend regularly even while on the road.”

“It'll be the best thing you ever dids fer yerself, my hand to god,” Dan vowed.

“I'm fine,” Mona said dismissively.

“Mone,” Darry took her hand and Wayne sat up straighter with a prickle of anger across his neck. “Promise me you’ll get help if things get bad again.”

Everyone else at the table was so clearly completely forgotten. Fuck. Wayne traded looks with Katy and Dan and then, desperate to regain Darry’s attention, he extended his bare foot under the table and slid his toes up Darry’s ankle, going under his pant leg.

Darry jumped and kicked at Wayne's foot instinctually, but Wayne’s toes stayed on Darry’s hairy shin. Darry blushed. Mona frowned, but Katy spoke up then with accounts of the supplies and price comparisons she had researched.

They passed most of the dinner deep in discussion about repairs and Dan announced he'd be happy to help, free of charge. It was going to speed things up significantly and Wayne vowed to make Katy kiss Dan on the cheek later.

He never moved his bare foot off Darry’s.

:::::

Dan stayed an hour after dinner for some more good talk over a beer, and then Katy drove him home. Daryl felt amazing. He had a good buzz and a clear head. His private chat with Dan had helped him solidify some abstract feelings and now he felt sure footed and confident.

He knew who he was, what he was made of, and what he could do if he set his mind to it. He also knew what he wanted to set his mind to do, which was a refreshing feeling.

He was going to save her.

Mona clearly had no interest in the show Wayne picked to watch. After barely a minute, she stood from the armchair.

“I’m going to take a shower before bed. Good night, boys.”

“Yeah, night, there, Mona. Sleep tight.” Wayne chirped without taking his eyes off the TV.

One sitcom ended, another began.

Daryl could not keep the image of her in the shower out of his head. He thought of the tattoos on her lower back and chest, and wondered if she had gotten more since he'd last seen her. Most likely she did. She loved getting inked. What were they? _Where_ were they?

“Squirrly Dan’s a good dude.” Wayne announced.

“Can confirm. Man can talk a monkey out of a tree.”

“Weird he couldn't convince Mona to attend a meeting. What’s her problem with support groups?”

“Just not her thing, apparently.”

“Kay. So why call it brainwashing right to yours and Dan’s faces? Like, it might not be her thing, fine, but what good’s it do fer anybody to kick the legs out from under the ones who find it helpful? You wanna know what? It’s like she thinks down on ya for getting help from others. What a fucking hypocrite. Fuck.”

“Ya sound pretty pissed over there.”

“Maybe because I am, Darry. The girl takes charity and help from others like it’s owed to her and then laughs at folks for going to church groups to get themselves sober.”

“She weren't laughing.”

“I just didn't take to her tone when she flat rejected the good natured suggestion.”

“So her manners are rough. Not exactly a reason to condemn her.”

Wayne had to sit with that one for a bit. Daryl knew he’d won when the next thing Wayne said was a pointless observation about the actors on TV. They joked about laugh tracks utilized in real life scenarios, like the time Dan ripped the ass out of his coveralls when he bent down for a dropped screwdriver.

Wayne yawned. Daryl thought about what would happen if Wayne went up to bed and Mona came back down. The two of them alone down here in the light of the TV….

He adjusted his arousal and remembered the things Dan had said earlier about self control, keeping himself out of situations of temptation, and working for what he needed, not what he wanted.

“Wayne come up to bed with me.”

He absolutely did not want to test his strength alone with Mona. To his relief, Wayne got it, with no need to ask.

They went upstairs together through the dark. Daryl could smell trace wiffs of Wayne's armpits as he followed. The steps creaked under their combined weight.

The second Daryl pulled even with the bathroom, the door opened. Steam wafted out, and Mona in a towel with a second towel wrapped around her head, stepped out. Daryl froze up. Hot blood throbbed in his cock. He couldn't even blink.

“Oh,” she giggled. “Excuse me, boys.”

Wayne had his head turned away. “Yup.”

“Have a good night,” Mona said, giving Daryl the big eyes as she crossed into the guest room.

His feet were stuck to the floor. No force of will could make him take a step forward when all energy screamed to follow her flower scent, her bare little tip toed steps into that dark room with a clean bed--

Wayne’s tight grip dragged Daryl into the master bedroom at the end. His voice was a growl of pure annoyance.

“The fumigation cannot be over soon enough. This is a bad idea letting the two of you sleep down the hall from each other.”

“Big mistake,” he agreed. He paced the room and opened the window for some fresh air. That helped clear his head.

“Should have arranged for Dan to take her. Maybe he’d manage to get through to her with more one on one time.”

“It’s fine, Wayne. She’s not about to crawl in bed with me when I'm spoonin' you.”

“Oh, so we’re gonna spoon are we now?”

“I cuddle in my sleep. Anything bigger than a rat terrier gets the treatment and there’s nothing can stop it. So get ready fer it.”

Wayne's lips twitched. “I think I’ll survive.”

Darry checked the state of the room.“Have a look at this. Katy gave us each one side of the bed. I get the window side.”

“That’s likely her recalling Angie always took the window side.”

Daryl felt tripped up. Funny how five years could pass without Daryl once imagining Angie in this room. At least not in a capacity that left her personal items arranged on the nightstand like they belonged

“Well would you prefer it?” he asked, mainly just to help his brain erase the unpleasant idea of Wayne still considering it Angie’s side.

“Take whichever side you want, bud.”

Wayne grabbed his pajamas and went to the bathroom to change in privacy. Daryl down dressed and got in the bed. Curious of what all Katy had brought, he poked around the nightstand disguised as his own. He pulled open the drawer and shut it fast. Then giggled lightly to himself and looked again. Condoms and lube. They weren't his. Did that make them Wayne’s?

Wayne took a little longer than Daryl expected. Just long enough for Daryl to feel the freedom to snag some of the drawer stuff and slip quietly down the hall. All he had to do was wait for Wayne to fall asleep...

No. _No_. “You do not want Mona,” he said aloud. It sounded like a lie. Because he did want her. If she was turning over a new leaf, ready to be stable and respectable, then he wanted her and the life they could build together.

He imagined her with her hair returned to its natural brunette color, grown out long enough to be pulled back with some tendrils hanging down her neck. She would look damn cute in a flannel shirt tied at her belly and cut off jeans. They could sell his trailer and build a sweet little house on that spot… She'd bring him lemonade and a kiss during the hottest part of the day.

Darry smiled into the darkness, wanting that picturesque scene so badly it hurt.

But the program had strict rules about the order of the steps and Mona--though not officially in the program--was more or less on the path and couldn't rush ahead of herself. Daryl would need to give her time to get right.

Still, those big eyes and damp cleavage and sultry little “have a good night” rang through his head as clear invitation.

Wayne returned in the flannel pajama bottoms Katy had gotten him for Christmas.

“Those won't be too warm?”

“If my feet or legs are cold I don't sleep.”

Darry frowned with interest. Ya think ya know a man...

“Well, two in the bed might be a little warmer than you're used to is all I'm saying.”

“Well if I get warm I'll kick them off.”

“S’long as you're wearing drawers underneath that's a fine plan.”

Wayne chortled as he settled on his side and beat his pillow into shape. “Good night, Darry.”

He switched off the light.

“Hey, Wayne?”

“Hm?”

“Do ya have any condoms?”

“The fuck for?”

He snickered. “Do you keep condoms and lube in this drawer over here?”

He sputtered. “No. And that's an interplanetary question, Dar. Trying to sleep over here and you're quizzing me on the contents of a spare nightstand?”

“Then what do you keep in there?”

“Fuck if I know. Cold medicine or something likely. Haven't opened it in months. Why are you asking?”

He giggled some more. “Katy Kat filled it with condoms and lube.”

The bed rustled. Wayne’s light came on. He stood. Marched around the bed and jerked open the drawer. Daryl watched his face closely and saw the faint pink blush.

He closed the drawer, marched back around the bed, got in, turned out the light and pounded his pillow back into shape.

Daryl realized he was holding his breath and let it out with a laugh. Wayne’s amusement crackled out lowly, buried in the pillow.

“We’ll get her back for this.”

“Have something in mind?”

Daryl hummed. “Fill ’em full of water and throw ‘em at her when she’s tanning.”

“Fill them full of _yogurt_ and throw em at her when she's tanning.”

Daryl giggled maniacally. “Perrrrfect.”

They cackled meanly and then settled back down. It fell so quiet, Daryl picked out the soft tick of Wayne’s alarm clock. That was annoying.

He hated just laying here. Counting seconds. Seeing Mona’s glistening tattoos.

“Hey, Wayne?”

This time his automatic “Hm?” was heavier with sleep. Then his lips smacked. “Having trouble sleeping, Dar?”

“A little. I mean I'm safe from her coming in here but where’s the guarantee I don't wake up and switch beds in the middle of the night?”

Wayne lifted to an elbow. “Are you tempted to?”

“Greatly. You saw her in that towel.”

“Just remember what kind of person she is.”

“Well, that's not fair. We need to treat her like she is the person she can be or else she won't ever change.”

Wayne let out an exasperated breath. “So you think she's gonna go and change for you?”

“I think she's trying.”

“Okay, Darry. Okay. Darry, okay. She is trying. Trying to change you.”

“No.”

“Yup.”

"No."

"Yup."

“No--” Daryl got so worked up he let loose his stubborn donkey holler with the words, “SHE AINT!”

His voice echoed off the walls. The dogs, spread evenly throughout the room, all perked up and started panting. Wayne let his silence be loud in the way only Wayne could do. (It was his version of the stubborn ass so this argument was going absolutely nowhere. So best to just move on.)

Daryl took a hard, deep breath. “Anyway, doesn't matter because she hasn't changed yet and I don't need to distract her with my needs. Mona's focus should be Mona.”

Wayne let out a long breath and moved closer. “Angie could never get up for the bathroom without waking me. I’ll stop you.”

“Promise?”

Wayne lifted his arm and settled right up against his body, holding his ribs. His face mashed into Daryl’s chest. Daryl rested his arm along Wayne’s broad shoulders. Couldn't hear the clock anymore thanks to a strange roaring in his ears.

“Go to sleep, Dar. You're not going anywhere.”

Daryl dubiously shut his eyes, breathed deeply--and slept through the whole night.


	8. Chapter 8

Wayne fell asleep on top but woke on the bottom, with Darry wrapped around him like a jellyfish. The rooster cawed and the smell of breakfast drifted up with the sound of girl talk. Oh yeah. Mona was here.

For some seconds, Wayne worried that solid Darry had been able to do what feathery little Angie never could, which was slip in and out of the bed without waking him. But that was silly. If Darry had been weak enough to do it, he would have never been strong enough to return.

Pride glowed brightly in Wayne’s chest. His best pal was showing exceptional fortitude lately. Gone were the days when Darry’s lack of willpower tested the bonds of friendship. He was shaping into a damn fine man anyone would be lucky to wake up to like this.

The thought made Wayne jolt as if he had tripped over a crack in otherwise smooth ground. Literally the same second his alarm clock went off, so the source of the jolt became unclear.

Darry stirred, arms tightening briefly before releasing. For a startling, _breathless_ moment, Wayne felt a hot bulge rub carelessly against his hip before Darry was up and stretching with a lion roar.

“Damn, I slept good,” he said wondrously. His voice had pep, his step had a spring in it, and (Wayne tried not to notice) his boxers had a heavy swing in them.

He got dressed at the foot of the bed and went down for breakfast before Wayne mustered the strength to put his feet on the ground. He was in a Twilight zone, of sorts.

By the time Wayne got down there, all four of the rat terriers were crowded around Darry's chair, eyes tracking each and every spoonful of yogurt.

Mona was propped up on the table, still in the over large shirt and booty shorts she slept in. She yawned.

Katy poured coffee.

“Good morning Wayne.”

“Good morning Katy. Good morning Mona.”

She groaned. “You guys get up way too early.”

“Farmlife, Mona. Makes you live longer.” Darry said with that same zippy energy. He scraped the yogurt cup.

Mona rested her head on her arm and appeared to fall asleep right before their eyes. Katy scoffed. Wayne wondered how long it would take her to fall out of the chair.

Darry had a soft smile. “Awe. No, just let her sleep, Katy.”

Katy rolled her eyes and resumed cleaning the kitchen. They left Mona sleeping like a kid in algebra class and went to chorin.

Later, Wayne was having a quick dart against the corner of the barn, letting the sweat at his hairline dry as he discussed the new calves with Darry. One heifer had dropped twins successfully and Darry wanted to keep both, despite one being male and destined for beef.

The argument was at least 75 percent just a way to pass the time. Darry knew the economics of farming dairy cows outweighed any soft hearted instinct like keeping a family together. In moments like these, Wayne had an inkling that Darry just like to wind him up sometimes.

Movement near the house caught his eye. His enjoyment of the moment fell.

“Look alive there, babe.” Wayne said past the dart in his lips. Darry straightened and looked all around. When his eye fell on Mona, he smiled big.

She didn't come any further into the mud than she had to. Her face had the half scrunch of people unaccustomed to manure. “Are yous done working?”

“Just a smoke break. Don't typically finish before lunch.”

“Why?” Wayne asked.

Mona shrugged and crossed her arms. “We've all just been so busy, we haven't gotten to really hang out yet.”

The way she said “hang out” meant something else, and how she only looked at Darry fully excluded Wayne. He bristled against the rudeness.

“Want to see something cute?” Darry asked her.

Wayne slumped quietly against the barn and puffed on his smoke. He did not see this ending well. He hoped he was wrong.

Mona inched a little closer to the paddock. Darry herded the twin calves toward her.

She stiffened as they nosed at her through the fence. Darry leaned over the calves, petting them and showing off their beautiful, perfectly symmetrical markings.

“It was a difficult calving. Nearly lost this little guy. I had to pull him out.”

“Ew.” Mona said. “Do you mean...?”

“Reached right in, up to the shoulder, he did.” Wayne said proudly.

“EW!” Mona danced a little in place like she had a spider on her. “That's disgusting.”

“I had an arm glove on.”

“It was lubed.” Wayne supplied.

Mona yelped. “Stop! Ugh. I don't want any of the details. It's the nastiest thing I've ever heard.”

“C'mon, it's just a part of Dairy farming. Could be worse things.”

“Yeah, like being stuck as a Dairy farmer. You know, Dar,” she lowered her voice significantly. Wayne turned away as if to give privacy, but he was listening with everything he had.

Her words were faint but audible. “The band is making enough money per gig to hire a road crew. These big farm muscles would make it easy money for you, and you get to see more of the world like you always talked about.”

Wayne glanced back to see that Mona had her hands on his bicep. Darry's back was to him, so Wayne had no way of gauging his best pal's current state of mind. Not good. Not good.

But wait a second, who did this tart think she was talking to a man's sweetie like this right the fuck in front of him?

Wayne flicked the dart away and turned, eyes narrowed. She met the challenge coolly, not releasing Darry's bicep until Darry pulled away. Wayne bristled.

If she wanted war, she'd get it.

She held eye contact but Wayne made sure she blinked first. A small victory. She winked at Darry and sashayed back into the house. Wayne simmered down.

Darry looked troubled.

Wayne's throat was tight. “You never mentioned seeing the world to me.”

Darry seemed to lift out of water. “Oh. No. Don't much care fer the idea, but it was always nice to hear her dream out loud about it. Always made her smile….”

Wayne felt better. “Maybe clue her in, then, because she thinks she's here to spring you from purgatory.”

“Don't say it.”

The words _I told you_ so slipped to the tip of Wayne's tongue but he chewed them back. “Say what?”

Darry weaved through the cows with a dark expression. Wayne knew to leave him be for a while.

::::::

Mona stayed for three days, sleeping in until 9 am and then staying mysteriously gone all day. She returned each evening in time for dinner with stories of meeting old friends or judgmental family. Squirrelly Dan had a lot of private talks with Darry in the meantime. Wayne didn't question it. Whatever it took to keep him on the wagon.

She at least helped Katy cook. Wayne noticed the decrease in quality in some of the side dishes. Wayne pointedly did not eat more than a bite of those.

Darry, on the other hand, took seconds like he was paid to sell the product.

“Nothing like good food after hard day’s work,” he said, patting his stomach as they settled to watch TV before bed.

It had been a hard day. With the house project stalled until the fumigation was done, they took a hard run at getting everything done on the farm. The list was ever expanding, so it could never be completed, but it felt good to keep the number of tasks low enough to count on your fingers.

Wayne's body ached from the labor of fixing the barn roof, and he remembered, wistfully, how Angie would rub his feet at night for him. Suppose that was what most couples did….

Then again, he couldn't get Darry to rub his feet without a big explanation. So he did the next best thing. Darry's body would be aching too....

He took Darry's socked feet into his lap and started massaging them.

“Oh, Wayne,” he said tensing with the trepidation of the ticklish. Wayne made soft shushing noises and Darry slowly relaxed. He wasn't so ticklish on the feet, not if Wayne didn't do any feathery touches.

He closed his eyes. “Feels. Amazing.”

“Yeah. I'm jealous.” Mona said. Then she brightened. “We should do a foot massage chain, guys!”

Darry cracked a wide smile, and Wayne just knew he was going to agree to rub Mona's feet for her.

“Only if I get to do yours,” Katy interjected, speaking to Mona. “I am not touching Wayne's feet.” She shuddered.

Mona frowned, then chuckled and waved a lazy hand, eyes closed like she could sleep in the recliner. “Ah. We'd have to move into the floor. Forget it.”

Wayne met Katy's eye and gave her a _good girl_ wink. His hands were a little tired of the massaging motions but he had to do both feet before he could stop. Plus, Darry looked like he was in paradise.

When he let out a little moan of comfort, Mona twisted to look at them again. After a bit she said, “Why is every gay couple adorable? Like, some hetero couples are cute, but every single gay couple is ten times cuter.”

Katy nodded along. “It's true. Science can't explain it. It's just. Gay power.”

Darry cracked open an eye to meet Wayne's. Something passed between them. Not quite amusement but just as pleasant. Wayne decided it was a thank you as, a moment later, Darry sat up and reclaimed his feet without a word.

“Well. If nothing worth watching is on, I'm hitting the hay.”

Wayne shot to his feet. “Right behind you, babe.”

::::

Daryl had never in his life gotten a foot massage before. Boy howdy. Wayne was surprisingly good at them. But then Wayne never did anything half assed.

It was early for bed, but Daryl didn't want to have to put it on Katy to keep him in line down here with Mona. She'd get mean about it. That short temper and all.

Plus, it looked better for the ruse, letting a foot massage lead to early turn in for the cute gay couple. They got ready for bed and wound up brushing their teeth together at the sink, shirtless.

Wayne had a better tan than Daryl did. He didn't realize he was staring at his firm chest until Wayne spit and rinsed and met his eye in the mirror.

Daryl shook out of it, spit, and rinsed.

“That massage was extraordinary. Where'd you learn how to do something like that?”

“Angie would do mine sometimes. Learned from example.”

“Want me to do you?”

Darry heard how the question sounded in the echo. It made parts of his body tense with anticipation.

Wayne blocked the door, and the look in his eye prepared Darry for what happened next. Wayne took hold of his chin, and kissed him.

It wasn't like the kiss on the porch, wherein Wayne had been too shocked to react much. This one was coy, yet deliberate.

Daryl shivered and leaned into it.

A girlie giggle in the hall, then Katy's trademark annoyance,

“Hello? There's a fucking line forming out here. Get out.”

Daryl startled and they pulled apart. Wayne stayed close enough to whisper right into his ear,

“Giggle like I'm saying something inappropriate.”

So it was just the act.

Winded, Daryl gave a breathy little laugh as they shuffled out of the bathroom.

“Sorry, Katy Kat,” Daryl said, dazed. He wasn't sure at all what just happened. He followed Wayne to the room. Squirrelly Dan's stance on Lies started to make sense.

Once inside, Darry put on a t-shirt and crossed his arms against a vulnerable feeling.

“Did you do that just so Mona would see?”

“Can confirm.”

“Not sure how I feel about that…. feel a little cheap.”

Wayne stopped short and blinked. “Should we take kisses out of fair play, then?”

“I'm hesitant to draw the hard line like that, but maybe we need to. I'm all for keeping Mona at a distance, but not lying on that sort of level.”

“Texas size ten four, then, Darry. This entire idea was yours, and I'm just here to help.” Wayne said this cool and crisp, busy turning down the bed. Darry couldn't read his energy. Was he really casual or just putting up a front?

“So no more kissing then. Keeps things cleaner.”

“Good enough.”

Why did it feel as if they just randomly vowed never to eat all dressed chips again?

::::

Wayne climbed into bed feeling weird. He had seen Mona coming in the slither of the open door reflected in the bathroom mirror, so had locked lips with Darry. It seemed the best way to avoid another one of those big eyes in a towel situations.

Having only been kissed by Darry the once on that porch swing with the pressure of an audience, he hadn't been prepared for the kiss he got this time.

It wasn't forced and over the top, hard and sloppy.

Darry had sighed and opened up, even leaned into it. Wayne’s blood had spiked and his mind went narrow and focused on what to do next. Conjuring some down right steamy images.

Fuck. Wayne was afraid to examine what would have happened if Katy hadn't hurried them out of the bathroom.

And now Darry didn't want to be kissed again, which probably shouldn't feel like a kick in the nutsack, but for some fuckin' reason, well there you go.

Wayne stayed awake long after Darry’s breathing evened out and he went into automatic cuddle mode. He stared at the ceiling as Darry unconsciously held onto his torso and snuggled in. Wayne couldn't fight him off. No matter which way he turned, Darry moved in like a clinging starfish.

And you wanna know what? Felt kind of nice to be clung to again.

What had began as a quick lie to save a friend was feeling more and more like a precarious situation. Precarious like Darry’s feet against Wayne's under the quilt, which is to say: pretty _fucking_ precarious.

Darry’s feet on his shouldn't feel so natural, so right, so much like home, when it had never happened before. Wayne had had sex with, and slept next to, four women, one of whom he committed himself to for _5 years_ , and yet he still never felt this… _close_ to any of them. He felt closer to Darry than anyone else in the world, and the thought of losing that in any way made his breath hitch and his heart hurt.

Around midnight, he heard a floorboard creak out in the hall and cut his eyes to the door in time to see a shadow block the sliver of light at the bottom. Just as the doorknob turned, Wayne acted fast.

He slipped a hand under the back of Darry’s T-shirt, rested his cheek on Darry’s curls, closed his eyes, slacked his jaw and evened out his breathing. He heard the door squeak on its hinge as it swung open.

After some time, the door squeaked as it closed. Wayne peeked and saw the shadow moving away. He lay there a long time going over and over the reasons why she was not going to be allowed to get her hooks in Darry this time. And eventually he lulled himself asleep.

He forgot to take his hand out of Darry’s shirt.


	9. Chapter 9

Daryl woke around 3am, needing to piss like a racehorse. He was not surprised to be curled up along Wayne’s side, but as he moved away he was surprised to feel Wayne’s hand slide down his bare back from under his shirt. He looked back at Wayne, able to see him through the dim light of the luminous clock. He was sound asleep.

The moment Daryl’s weight shifted out of the bed and onto his feet, however, Wayne came awake. His groggy voice cracked with too much sleep, “Wur goin’?”

“I have to piss,” Daryl whispered.

“Time get up?” Wayne made to prop up on his elbow but somehow missed and fell face first into his pillow.

“No. I have to piss.”

“Well stay,” Wayne said, tugging on Daryl’s shirt and this time achieving an elevated position. “Let me do it for you.”

Daryl chuckled and pushed Wayne back down. “You can't piss for me, bud.”

Sleepy Wayne Logic preoccupied Daryl as he shuffled down the hall, had a piss and came back. He repeated what Wayne had said over and over so that he could remember it in the morning. Wayne and Katy always got a laugh out of Sleepy Darry Logic. He was thrilled to have some ammunition.

He climbed back into bed and was completely derailed from his thoughts when Wayne dragged Daryl beneath him and sighed, “Good.”

“What's that bud?”

“Y’pick’d me,” He slurred and settled pert near on top of Daryl.

Daryl’s eyes still hadn't adjusted to the dark after the bathroom light so he didn't see it coming. Wayne’s lips pressed to his, hand caressing his jaw. The kiss was short, but soft, and then Wayne dropped his head on Daryl’s chest right after.

Soon Wayne was dead asleep again, but Daryl stayed awake until the morning alarm.

They had put kisses for show off the table. And Mona wasn't even here to see anyway. So what the hell was that? Daryl was almost afraid to examine it too closely. It was like an eclipse you shouldn't look at.

All that really mattered was the warm, safe feeling it gave him, though right? That was lovely.

Wayne was just.... like this; a force of nature here to take care of the people he loved by giving them exactly what they needed when they needed it, no more or less. Efficient. Constant. Support.

Mona was a force of nature too, but less kind. She took what she wanted when she wanted it, and then some. She was selfish and flaky and manipulative. Like that day he showed her the twins. Those calves where his pride and joy but did she see it that way? No, because it didn't benefit her to do so.

She was here to save Darry from the farm, but not for him. It was all for her. She didn't give a damn what Darry really wanted anymore.

And then here now, Darry's needs were all Wayne focused on. Darry had said no kisses so he agreed to no kissing. Only Sleepy Wayne had gone and revealed what Wayne truly wanted--and dammit if it wasn't something Darry truly wanted too.

: : :

The next morning, Katy read a text and walked out to the barn where Wayne was working. She was livid and kept her arms crossed to hide her shaking fists.

She called Darry down out of the hayloft before announcing to them both, “Stewart texted me last night.”

“Kay.”

“I asked him to let me know if Mona tried to buy off him or his guys. And last night…” she clenched her teeth, her nostrils flared and she shook her head. “Darry, she’s using. She had Devon meet her at the end of the laneway last night. She bought some rips.”

“Fuck,” Wayne said.

Frankly, Katy wasn't surprised but that didn't make the fact any easier to swallow.

What had to be bitter disappointment made Wayne grimace. Katy nodded, too upset to speak. As usual, Mona had managed to sell that she was at her most put together… how had Katy started to believe it after all these years?

Judging by Wayne’s anger, he too felt duped, and, by the look of pure devastation on Darry’s face, he had believed in the New Mona more than anyone.

Wayne gripped his shoulder. “Sorry, bud.”

“We have to help her.”

“We’re trying, Darry,” Katy scoffed. “But you know as well as anyone that she has to _want_ help before she’ll actually get it.”

“And she’s not going to want it until she hits rock bottom,” Wayne said, “which she has never done before because you've always taken the fall for her.”

“Not always. Haven't seen her in years. I thought maybe she'd already hit rock bottom and that was why she was back and talking about schools.”

“You always see the best in her, Darry,” Katy said, tired of this fact. “But she is not the fifteen year old girl living down the road from you that asked you to the Jamboree. Not anymore.”

“Why did your friends sell to her, Katy?” Darry accused. “Couldn't you have told them not to? I mean shit. You control Stewart and Stewart controls them!”

“I threatened them on pain of death but she… apparently... made an offer Devon couldn't refuse.” She made an inelegant blow job motion.

“Oh, fuck, Katy,” Wayne looked away.

Darry made a sound like a gut punch. And Wayne tightened his fists. Katy felt bad for her brother, which only made her loath this entire situation even more.

It looked like Darry still loved Mona. So much he couldn't see other chances just waiting for him to step up and take. Katy cut her eyes to her brother who was pointedly not looking at anyone.

“I need to talk to her,” Darry said tightly.

“She hasn't even gotten out of bed yet.”

Darry started toward the house. Wayne shot Katy an alarmed look, and she jumped to follow him. “Darry, c’mon, you don't need to see her like this. You know what might happen.”

“I'm fine, Katy.”

On the porch, she caught his hand. This stopped Darry in his tracks with wide eyes. Katy almost smirked. Admittedly, she was always too hard on Darry. But this was serious. “Can we talk for two seconds before you rush in there and fall under her spell?”

“I'm stronger than I have been, Katy.”

“And that’s so great, Darry. I’ve never been more proud of anyone as I am of you. You've grown up a lot since she left last time. I'm proud to co own this farm with you, proud to consider you my brother.”

All this gooey sap stuff was making her throat burn. She hated it.

His smile went lopsided and wobbled. Then he took a deep breath. “Thanks, Katy Kat. I'm proud of this farm, and I love you like the sister I never had. But I have to pay it forward. I have to try to save her, like I was saved. That's all this is. Will you come with me?”

Relieved, and surprised by this clear headed action plan, Katy nodded. Seriously, what had gotten into Darry? 

His eyes went from ardent appreciation to excitement. “Now I get to see one of the raids from the other side for once.”

Katy laughed. She and Wayne had done one too many surprise house raids to sweep for drugs and do an intervention. She couldn't wait to purge this house of the shit. Mona had come in as a guest and contaminated the whole place. Katy was going to check right down to the studs to make absolutely sure none of it was left behind.

They let themselves into the room. Mona jerked awake, complaining loudly the moment Katy started rooting through the backpack Mona had brought.

“Darry? Wha--Hey, bitch, don't touch my stuff!”

It got ugly from there.

::::

There was a lot of screaming and crass language, but Daryl stopped the hair pulling before anyone got kicked in the box. He physically held Mona off Katy while Katy searched, producing one small packet of white powder.

From there, Mona knew she had lost and resorted to her old trick. She went pliant, helpless in his arms, and begged him not to be mad at her. He wasn’t that mad, just disappointed. She was better than this, he knew she had to be.

With herculean effort, Daryl resisted the urge to kiss her. Literally the only thing that stopped him was--her kisses were a thing of the past. Once pure and on a pedestal in his mind as his only source of unconditional romantic love, now the memories felt once removed…. Replaced by one happy, tender little 3am kiss from Sleepy Wayne.

That pert near blew his mind. A man is never ready to realize he associates his best male friend with unconditional romantic love. It was quite the head spinner for Daryl, but now wasn't the time to sit with it.

When Daryl didn't kiss Mona, she looked heartbroken. It literally changed the color of her eyes.

His kryptonite. He knew of all the hurt in her life and had once vowed never to add to it. But now he understood that the truest way to honor that vow would be to save her from the endless cycle of hurt and self harm by getting her clean.

So he managed to stay strong, and started talking about the rehab center he wanted to take her to, right now. Her wounded little bird expression soured into rage. She shoved away from him, ripping at her own hair.

“I knew you'd keep trying to hoist your brainwashing bullshit onto me. What's the fucking problem, Darry? I haven't killed anyone! I make kick ass music. I travel the country. I'm not shackled to this pathetic fucking excuse for a town. I have fans. And friends. and I throw fucking amazing parties. What do you do? Slave away on someone else’s farm all day?”

“It's _my_ farm, Mone.”

Mona laughed. “Why? Because you're sucking the balls of the guy that owns it?”

Katy gasped and stepped forward but Daryl lifted a hand to stop her attack. He had this.

“Because I outright legally own a third of it. And fuck you.”

She looked like she had been physically slapped. Katy settled on her heels, arms crossed, pleased.

A part of Daryl would always love the girl that skipped French class to kiss the hell out of the outcast who tried too hard. But this woman was not that girl. And Daryl was not that boy. She didn’t know Daryl at all, and that was his fault. He’d told her everything she had ever wanted to hear and then he had resorted to snorting drugs to wash out the feeling of being misunderstood.

All the things Katy and Wayne had ever said about Mona using him to get what she wanted clicked into place with that colorful accusation. She didn't understand the concept of unconditional love at all. In her mind, Wayne would never share profits without getting something in return.

That was sad, and Daryl felt iron-like resolve to help her the best he could.

“We’ll fix up your house but only if you go to rehab. When you get out, you'll have a sold house and a pile of money waiting for you to start your new life. It’ll all look better from the other side _but you have to get yourself there_.”

“Wait a minute, you already said you'd help me. Now you're holding the house repairs hostage until I comply?”

“We cleared out the junk at no charge. We paid for the fumigation. We _did_ help. But I can’t justify spending our life savings just to help you fund your schneef parties.”

“Oh my god, you're just like them.” She had red rimmed eyes now, because the tears were real. “You don't want to help me. You just want to dictate how I live my life. I have to _conform,_ or I'm not worth shit, is that right?”

Daryl shook his head. “I ain't askin' you to conform. I'm askin' you to grow up. Suckin' powder up your nose ain't wild and sexy nomore. Bein' the drummer in a punk rock band ain't cute when yer 30 and the rest of the band is 19. Yer stuck in the past. I know you only want me 'cos I make the dream feel real by remindin' you of when you was a teenager. But it aint gonna happen. I'm tellin' you with absolute certainty that you are worth somethin', and if you make the right choices, one day you won’t need other people to help you believe that about yourself.”

Katy silently stepped out into the hall, offering at least the illusion of privacy so that Daryl could drive this home. He stood and took both Mona’s hands. She had his initials printed neatly on the inside of her index finger. He stroked the tattoo.

Memory of the day she got it derailed him temporarily. She spoke before he could get back on track.

“Dare bear, you're the love of my life. We’re supposed to be soulmates. What happened?”

He closed his eyes. “We were kids, Mona. People evolve, feelings evolve.... I did love you. But... I’m in love with Wayne now. And I think it was always meant to be this way.”

She sobbed quietly and hugged him. “Then... this is goodbye.”

“Mona--”

She grabbed her disordered bag and left. When he followed, he saw Katy standing in the hall with a wide eyed expression that meant she had heard the thing Daryl had said about loving Wayne and she hoped it was true. Daryl didn't have time to stop and talk about it. Mona was getting away.

:::

Wayne gave up chorin, fetched Squirrelly Dan and went to check on Darry and Katy. They were close to the house when Mona stormed out barefoot in her sleeping clothes, arms full of her stuff. She got in the car as Darry charged out after her.

Wayne and Dan watched Darry hold onto her mirror as she backed out of the drive. His curls bounced as he jogged alongside the vehicle, pleading with her to just do rehab. She put the car in drive, flicked him the bird, and sped off.

Darry stood in the road hands on his head, cursing.

Wayne joined him. Darry was breathing funny and had wet eyes which Wayne pretended not to see by keeping his attention in the total opposite direction.

“This is fucked” he said, voice as rough as gravel. “Where’s Squirrelly Dan?”

“Here and listenin’, good buddy.” Dan had approached and laid a hand on Darry’s shoulder. For a minute, Darry just stood there, hands in his pockets, eyes almost vacant.

“If I've ever been closer than right now, Dan…” he shook his head. “I feel like a damn failure.”

Wayne opened his mouth for an irate rebuttal but Squirrely Dan shot him such a serious look it silenced him and sent him away. Wayne went with reluctant steps. He wanted to be there for Darry, but the frustrating fact was Darry needed his sponsor’s wisdom and their safe space to speak in confidence.

This was the hardest part of life with New Darry, but worth it for the confidence, courage, and strong will it fostered in him.

Wayne joined Katy on the porch. She hugged him tight, which was odd. He awkwardly patted her tiny little shoulder until she released him and the world made sense again.

“The plan worked,” she said, trademark bored tone. “Darry resisted her. It was amazing. You should’ve seen it.”

“Seemed she didn't want much to do with him from what I saw.”

“Yeah but that was after he told her Fuck You.”

Wayne gasped. “Did he now?”

“Dumdiddydo.”

“Well, that is plum Legend Darry.”

“He out right told her he didn't love her anymore.” Katy got a funny look on her face, like she wanted to say more about that--Wayne definitely wanted to hear more about that--but she moved on,

“He also said she wasn’t a bag of shit and just needed rehab.”

“Speech sounds familiar,” Wayne said, half proud. He and Katy had talked themselves blue to get Darry into rehab and some words had been echoed today.

“He was being a real man, strong, and she treated him like shit for it. If this sets him back, I'm going to one of her stupid gigs, setting her drum set on fire, and leaving dog shit in her car.”

Wayne let his silence stand for compliance to the plan. They would just have to see how Darry would come out of this one. “The only thing to do now is be there for Darry.”

“Let him know exactly what he means to us.” Katy said.

Wayne felt a flip in his belly at the thought of what Darry meant to him these days.

Out in the laneway, Squirrely Dan and Darry hugged with loud back slaps and started back toward the barnyard. Squirrely Dan gave Wayne and Katy a weirdly big smile.

"Suppose the chat went good then."

Katy had a secretive grin. "Suppose it did."

When Wayne resumed work alone in the barn with Darry, his thoughts were scrambled. He barely knew which bale to move where and he needed to speak but words were even more confusing.

Friendship. Brotherhood. Partnership. These words had to do with trust and love but all of a sudden, they weren't enough to describe Darry’s place in Wayne’s family. The trust had doubled in size. The love--

Wayne got goosebumps and a little breathless trying to measure that one out.

Later, at the produce stand, Darry talked events out a little with them.

“Hurricane Mona has returned to sea or whatever it is hurricanes do.”

“They break up into smaller storms when they hits the mountains and such,” Dan said which changed the topic promptly into extreme weather patterns and metaphors before Darry said, “Anyway. That's the last I’ll see of her for a while. I'm in a brave new world.”

“That’s a book whats they bans from schools, The Brave New World.”

“There isn't a The,” Wayne said, sparking a new debate on literature and school curriculum.

Life was back to normal, at least on the outside.


	10. Chapter 10

After dinner that night the three of them watched a hilarious new movie that Katy had pointedly rented to help distract Darry. They laughed and joked, and it was easier than Wayne remembered from the last time they had to clean up after Mona.

Wayne hoped that meant Mona hadn't gotten her hooks in deep enough. But it could have also been that Wayne and Katy were simply getting better at comforting him out of practice. Hard to tell.

When one dirty joke made beer come out of Darry's nose, the night became legendary. Wayne's stomach hurt from laughing as Darry cleaned up, repeated the joke, and cackled.

“Sssshhh,” Katy reprimanded. The plot was advancing and she wanted to hear.

Wayne reached for Darry's hand, but he stopped himself.

No Mona, no need right?

Wayne lost the thread of the movie entirely as he fretted over this issue. True, Darry no longer had to be held back from Mona. But thoughts of her had been miles away when Wayne had reached.

It had been more of a reflex to support Darry, while also stopping him from bickering with Katy in the middle of a new movie. Was that sort of thing allowed between friends?

Wayne supposed it could be, for some, but not really their style. If he touched Darry like that again, it would send the wrong signal.

Or, at least, send the right signal too soon. Or something. Wayne drank his beer and generally hated this entire conundrum.

:::::

Darry noticed Wayne's aborted attempt to take his hand. He didn't understand what happened. For the rest of the movie, half his attention was on the space between him and Wayne. The shortest distance was between their elbows, as they each held a beer. Maybe their feet too. Twice Darry tried to nudge Wayne's bare foot, mainly just to test the distance between them, but both times Wayne moved his foot as if Darry was a guest with the right away to all foot space.

So no more footsie. That sucked.

Finally the movie ended. The last few jokes had been funny but his laughter was compromised. Distracted.

Maybe he was just tired.

“Well, ba--” Daryl stopped the pet name short. Those probably had to go the way of footsie, and hand holding, too. “I'm going to bed.”

Was it his imagination that Wayne looked put out? But maybe he was just bummed to lose a drinking partner. Daryl went upstairs alone and suffered a nightmarish revelation.

He probably shouldn't go to Wayne's room. How would that look? Desperate, likely. Pathetic. Darry went to the guest bedroom as if that had been his intention since leaving the couch.

It was stripped bare. No sign anyone had stayed here ever. The mattress was even bare. It wasn't like Katy to not set the room up for a known guest. Did she already want him gone?

Troubled, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do--manners said to take the hint and go home--but his fragile state said there was only one thing to do.

Daryl happened to know where Katy kept the spare sheets so dressed the bed himself and then collapsed in it face first, miserable. He wouldn't stay too much longer, he vowed.

He didn't really sleep. More of a deep meditation of depression. Low power mode. Angst in its finest form. Darry sat with it like an old friend he wished he could have dodged at the dollar store.

He heard Katy go to bed. Then Wayne. The house fell deadly silent.

Daryl tossed and turned. He was acutely aware of sleeping alone. Couldn't stop thinking about the deep comfort he had found in Wayne's bed….That happy kiss when Wayne had sleepily believed he had been picked over Mona…. And even the older memory of when Wayne had made Darry an official partner in the farm. That had felt a god awful lot like Wayne had picked Darry over Angie.

What was this energy between them lately? It felt like something that had almost always been there but they had been too young, too naive, or too preoccupied with perdy girls to ever notice it before.

All Darry did know was that their ruse over the past week had been easy and fun, which was a pretty good indication neither of them were straight.

His will power broke at midnight. He crept down the hall. Wayne's door was wide open. For a moment, Daryl dared to hope Wayne was laying sleepless in the dark, too.

No.

Wayne was snoring lightly. Daryl hesitated in the middle of the room. Was it weird to slip into bed with someone after they were asleep? But going back to that lonely room was a non-option.

He could ring up Squirrelly Dan and talk. But why go through the hassle when all he wanted--all he needed--was to fucking sleep, and he could do that on the window side of this bed right here, right now.

Daryl tried his best to sink his weight little by little and not wake his best friend. It didn't work. The bed springs popped, Wayne jolted awake and shifted in the dark.

Darry opened his mouth to apologize and explain but Wayne grabbed him and spoke first, a sleepy, slurred, happy greeting.

“Darry! Howyanow?...g’t in ‘ere…” Wayne's big warm weight snuggled close, lips to Darry’s neck with a deep breath, “missed ya, bud.”

Daryl's chest cavity completely stalled. “Yeah?”

“Mm, ya.” Wayne sighed and settled. “hate sleepin' without ya.”

He made a baby bear noise that bore deep into Daryl's soul. Suddenly his eyelids were heavy as bricks and he couldn't help but grin. “Really?

Wayne grunted affirmative. "S’ma...unnff..s..bad dreams….“ he muttered almost incoherently, then dropped another kiss before the light snores resumed.

Daryl stroked the short hairs on the nape of Wayne’s neck, so happy he felt like he could cry if he tried to, and passed out.

:::::::

Wayne heard the alarm but chose to ignore it. Easy to do because the world felt heavy but far away. He was too comfortable to move, too relaxed to give a damn what the world had to offer beyond these soft pillows and sheets and warm embrace.

Darry.

The name surged out of the depths of his mind. This was Darry in bed with him. They had gone to bed separately but woke up together. He cracked an eye to make sure it was his room.

Yes. So Darry had come to him. Interesting. Either he was totally over Mona and was into Wayne… or he was simply heartbroken and needed company of any kind.

Was Wayne supposed to resist one of those? Because honestly he didn't want to. Both were fine by him.

All he wanted was his best friend safe and happy. All he really knew for certain was that the best person to entrust with Darry's future happiness was Wayne himself --if Darry wanted him, that is.

Judging by him crawling into this bed in the middle of the night, maybe he did. Wayne smiled into his pillow. It made the heart flutter to think about it.

Wayne quietly shored up for what he feared would become Hurricane Darry.

Him and Darry, romantic…. He wanted it. But would Darry want it too once he cleared the rubble left in Mona's wake?

And, if Wayne was being honest, Hurricane Angie left him in pretty bad shambles, too. If he and Darry hit the rocks, absolutely nothing of Wayne would survive....

But you wanna know what? That just made Wayne want it more because love is a heartless bitch like that.

He thought about it and thought about it as the days rolled by. Couldn't find the right words to bring it up. Didn't have the strength to stop himself from doing unnecessary squeeze bys, or hand holding and the like. Darry didn't seem to mind any of it and continued to sleep beside Wayne, which only excited Wayne more.

Something felt inherently _right_. Comfortable. Easy. It was just cuddles and comforting touches, and Wayne was downright satisfied in a way he hadn't achieved with Angie without putting in several years of work and compromise.

Darry worked and joked and lived in the house and slept in Wayne’s bed for nearly a week before Katy’s patience wore thin. Soon it was like Darry couldn't do anything right in Katy's eyes. The two of them bickered more and more until Darry said he might go back home that night.

Wayne stopped him.

“Ignore her, Dar, she’s just being a sister.”

“Yeah but I don't want to overstay my welcome.”

“You're not overstaying mine. Her mood will pass in about a week. Watch and see.”

They had game nights and fun drinking games. Katy had a lot of quips about sharing beds but they pretended never to hear. They also pretended not to see her see their linked hands, squeeze-bys, or little games of footsie.

They surprised Katy one afternoon with a slingshot cannon out of the bedroom window. Yogurt condom bombs exploded around her and when she caught one in the chest, she squealed and vowed to kill them both.

Wayne and Darry had never laughed so hard. For retribution, she tricked them both into the small, windowless laundry room and locked them in. They looked at each other, shrugged, and got comfortable, talking about those Escape Rooms and life sentences in prison--Darry shared with Wayne about his brief stints in the joint, which was something Wayne had always wanted details about but had never asked. Darry told stories that made Wayne even more proud of him. Some were about Darry the tough as nails fighter. Others were about Darry helping those that needed it. And the story about how Darry got his lip scar made Wayne laugh himself breathless.

All this sitting close and talking about what was never talked about before....it was pert near the nicest afternoon Wayne had ever had. And there might have been a Moment here or there. Might have been. Wayne’s heart beat faster for it, and if Katy hadn’t started dinner--the smell of which was too alluring for hungry men--then they might have hung out all night and who knows what would have happened. But instead, they kicked the door in.

It was an easy fix, but Katy stayed mad.

:::::::

Daryl appreciated Wayne’s open invitation to stay forever, but he cared about Katy too. After breaking her pretty laundry room door, he decided to give her what she really wanted.

But the next day after chorin, her room was empty, and more of Daryl’s stuff was in boxes on the porch. He and Wayne each nearly tripped on it, squinted out toward the trailer, and then back at the boxes. Katy approached with a trash bag full of Daryl’s winter clothes and his Important Papers box.

“That's the last of it,” she said like they were supposed to know what was happening.

“Katy Kat? The hell you doing?”

“I’ve had it up to here living with you idiots. If I don't go, someone is going to strangle on the unresolved sexual tension. You two are already dating each other, so just screw already.”

“KATY!” Wayne put his back to them both, ears shiny red.

Darry rolled his lips and looked straight down.

Katy continued cooly, “And since I don't think either of you want me around for that, and I definitely have no interest in being where I might overhear it, I thought a good solution would be me getting my own place.” She squinted up at Daryl innocently. “What do you think?”

What did he think? He loved absolutely everything about the plan, from never having to be alone again, to, especially, the toe curling part. She was the world’s best sister and that would reflect from now on in her Christmas presents.

“Me casa es su casa, Katy Kat.” He pointed with two fingers and gave his best brotherly tone. “Don't burn it down or paint it any super soft color.”

“Well the bedroom has to be pink. And bathrooms should always be purple.”

Daryl heaved a hard sigh. “If you think I'm helping ya defile my man cave, think again.”

She shrugged. “I’ll get Jonesy and Riley to help me.”

He grinned. Of course she would. And he had to allow it, because, though he spent his personal life savings to buy it, he had never liked it. Maybe Katy could make it a home.

“You’ll hate it down there. Gets real quiet. Too quiet.”

“You've never lived alone before in your whole life.” Wayne added to her.

“So, it’s time I give it a go.” Katy said cavalierly. She was really showing her age right now, but Daryl kept it zipped.

“Doors always open ta ya,” Wayne said, still not turning around.

Daryl’s face suddenly fell at a terrible thought.

“Hang on, does this mean--”

She waved a hand. “I’ll still be here every day to cook for you don’t worry.”

“Well, then, happy housewarming, Katy Kat. Here.” He reached into a box and handed her an unused scented candle. She removed the lid happily to smell the vanilla essence.

“You okay with this?” she asked Wayne.

“Yep,” Wayne said to the screen door. “I’ll get you a proper gift later.”

She winked at Daryl and took her new candle off to her new abode.

::::::

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Wayne didn't know which way to turn or what to do. Part of him wanted to default. Keep things normal and safe. But everything from the chin down didn't want to risk losing this opportunity to go bodily forward on new dreams.

If he insisted they just watch TV or something then that would be the same as out right telling Darry that he didn't want to--as Katy elegantly put it--screw. But if he made a move right now and Darry didn't want to, what was he supposed to do then?

Darry cleared his throat. The sound sent Wayne pert near running back into the house like a dog scared of the vacuum. Throat clears were notorious precursors to bad or uncomfortable news. Wayne could not stand getting bad or uncomfortable news from Darry right now.

The screen door slammed behind Wayne Ashe hurried through it and then it creaked and slammed again behind Darry.

“Where ya goin’?”

Wayne stopped. He had no answer so didn't give one.

“We need to talk, bud.”

Fuck. Wayne tried to keep it together. Tried to devise a plan--should he pretend to agree? He had no other option, right? He couldn't say he wanted Darry in his bed after Darry said he didn't want to be there. That sort of thing poisoned friendships.

He sat at the kitchen table. Darry got the whiskey and sat too. They took a shot.

“We need to talk about our ground rules,” Darry said fast, tap of the shot glass the punctuation.

Wayne felt an uncomfortable twist, expecting Darry to ask him to stop all the little magical things which had lately made Wayne's world so much bigger and smaller at the same time.

Instead, Darry grinned. “I’ve changed my mind. Kissin' is fair game.”

Was it whiskey or happiness scorching through Wayne's chest?

He cut his eyes over to Darry. “Footsie at breakfast has been fun.”

Darry dunked his head with a giggle. “And hand holdin’.”

“Pet names can comeback.”

“So can sleeping with your hand up my shirt.”

Wayne blushed. Blinked. Reached for the whiskey.

“It’s all kinds of nice not sleeping alone,” Darry said.

“That's a Texas sized 10-4. But it needs to be said that I'm vulnerable to feel this way, and Katy had no right interfering in our love life.”

That was a little too much said in one breath. Wayne crossed his arms.

Darry circled behind him, and his lips pressed into the hot skin of Wayne’s neck. It gave Wayne goosebumps and tighter pants.

Then Darry whispered,

“Whatever kinda love life you want, Wayne, just go fer it."

Wayne forced his chair back and stood. He grabbed Darry by the lower front of his onesie. “Too much chin waggin.”

Darry beamed idiotically. Wayne’s heart skipped a beat because this was Darry.  Awkward, and all his now.

The kiss they shared just then was halfway between that hard sloppy one on Mona's porch and the super soft one in the bathroom. Soft lips giving way to whole mouths and flirty tongues.

“Yer a good kisser, Dar.” Wayne murmured when it was over.

“Yer kisses are gooder,” Darry grabbed him by the ears and the kisses went hard.

They went up stairs slowly, hearts racing ahead. Breathless kisses, fumbling hands, bouncy bed springs, and--thankfully--not all the condoms had become yogurt bombs.

At one point, Darry gasped out a choked, “fuck, never been this hard,” to which Wayne looked over his shoulder to ask, “fer real?”

The look in Darry's eyes made Wayne harder than ever too. He buried his face in the pillows and couldn't breathe until Darry kissed his spine. This was the way things were supposed to be.

Wayne still didn't think Katy had any business interfering, but he couldn't argue with the results.


	11. Chapter 11

Feeling happy,  Wayne tossed away the undershirt they used to clean up and turned on Darry, pinning him and patting his tummy. Darry hooted and hollered and a wrestling match was cut short when Darry, unable to break free, used a known weakness and started kissing on Wayne's ears.

When Wayne flinched away,  Darry freed himself and went up on an elbow. Wayne breathed through a flutter in his belly as days of worrying about his best pal dropped away at the sight of that smile. It was the biggest Wayne had ever seen.

“Yer perty playful in the sack.”

“Not the compliment I usually get,” Wayne teased with a fresh dart between his lips and a sly sideways look. “But you wanna know what? I've never been with anyone so ticklish.”

“Don't!” Darry cried helplessly at the second onslaught of tickles. Wayne went easy on him, allowing Darry to shield himself with minimal effort, as he had his dart. They rested together, close and touching just to touch, ticklish areas off limits.

Darry stole a drag. “Thanks for pretending to be my boyfriend when I needed you.”

Wayne gave him a kiss.

“And thanks for being a real boyfriend going forward. I have to say I'm real excited about it.”

The look of pure unbridled joy in Darry's face drove Wayne to distraction. He rolled atop him and stuck the lit dart in the ashtray for the time being.

This was new. Just a smile turned his crank all the sudden? What kind of fuckery was this?

Wayne knew there wasn't anything sexier than a sweetie’s happiness. But _Darry's_ happiness? Fuck.

The sounds of his pleasure--giggles, sighs, verbal shivers--made Wayne throb and leak as if he had been teased for an hour. It was the best he had ever had, and he couldn't get enough. He wouldn't ever get tired of stoking this happiness in any way he could.

The dart burned itself out over there, forgotten.

::::

Wayne lay on the couch with Stormy, Gus, and one of the terriers. The others had woken from deep sleeps to follow Darry out of the room as he took a call. The only reason the fourth dog had even let Darry out of sight was because Wayne had not stopped rubbing her little ears for over an hour and she was in a relaxation coma.

Little dogs had never been a favorite of Wayne’s. He preferred the bigger breeds, r working breeds, but just now with these _teeny tiny wittle_ _ears_ in his fingers, his heart was melting.

Darry returned to the room with a stricken look on his face. Wayne saw it and instantly cleared space on the couch for Darry to sit down next to him, which he did, heavily. Elbows on his knees, he just sat there in a miserable hunch. Wayne ran a hand down his spine.

“That was Dan,” he choked. “He had some news about Mona he didn't want me to hear anywhere else.”

Something froze in Wayne's chest. His first thought was overdose. Then car crash.

“She just sold the house to one of his cousins. She's never coming back.”

Wayne gasped. “Fuck, I thought you were telling me she was dead!”

Brow knit with a frown, he looked over at Wayne and shook his head. “No. She's alive.”

“Good,” Wayne said, and he meant it. As much as he disliked her, he didn't wish her dead.

Darry hung his head, swore softly, and leaned into Wayne. They reclined into the couch cushions and Wayne just held onto Darry because he had never really seen his friend in this state. It was alarming.

“Are you okay, Dar?”

His breathing hitched. “I didn't realize how much I was counting on another chance to help her, y'know? I thought I'd see her again, thought I could find the magic words to make her see…”

Wayne kissed the crown of Darry's head and hugged him close. It was no surprise but still shocking when Darry began to cry. Literal tears, the faintest of tremors.

Fuck. Wayne wrapped Darry up even tighter. The tears soaked through Wayne's shirt, and there was snot, but he didn't care. This cry was several breakups overdue. Real, final closure.

“Why's it so fucking hard to save someone?”

“They've got to want to be saved, sweetheart.”

“I wish it was enough that I want it fer her. I wish I could take away all the pain she's tryin' to run from. All I ever wanted was to make her life better. Goddamn it, if she would just open her eyes and see this is the way to real happiness, y'know? She has no idea what's waiting on the other side. I didn't. I've been where she's at. She thinks there's no coming back from where she's been but that's not true. Look at me, I have so fucking much. I have a job I love, a home I love, a boyfriend I--”

He choked. They hadn't said it yet. Wayne felt tingles spread through his chest. Now was as good a time as any.

Wayne tilted Darry’s face, cleaned away the tears and slime. Darry's eyes were the color of new dark denim, and he had thick but short eyelashes. Darry looked shy. “I love you.”

“I love ya, too.” Wayne said gruffly.

These words always made his dick hard when he heard it and believed it. Nothing else got him going so hot so fast, but of course he could never admit that out loud.

Except something about Darry made him suspect he wasn't the only one wired this way. The reason either of them had stayed hooked on their first serious relationships for so long was becoming clearer to Wayne every day.

“You wanna know what? I understand what you're saying about Mona. It's the roughest deal in the world to care for someone who is lost like that.”

Darry breathed deep a few times, wet eyes gleaming at Wayne. “I’m sorry I ever put you through this, Wayne.”

Wayne kissed Darry on the forehead and held him close again. “Nah, I’m one of the lucky ones. You loved me back enough to try, enough to learn how to take care of yourself so that there would be someone to love. That's all it took.”

“I thought I could be there for her like you were for me. I just got swept up in the idea of being that important to somebody. The idea of being somebody's Wayne…”

Wayne released a hot gust of air. Darry sniffed. Wayne rubbed his shoulder and choked,

“Hows ‘bout you just be my Darry instead?”

“Gladly.”

Now neither one of them believed much in getting hard and not doing anything about it. They swapped hummers and then did some couch humping, which was the same as stump humping but on a couch, only there was one hitch in that plan.

Katy arrived to cook dinner. Walked right in, ran right out. Likely, she only saw Darry's complete profile and Wayne's naked hips bent over the arm of the couch, but it was still rightly mortifying for the siblings.

Darry had to whip out his bachelor cooking skills so they wouldn't starve for the rest of the month. Katy wouldn't come home. She spoke to them at the produce stand but in a stilted professional manner. Her lioness eyes said plainly that if they spoke of it, she would end them.

That was just fine with them. Their sex life was no longer their biggest concern. They had each noticed a lot of cars came and went from the trailer. Too many stayed over night. Wayne counted as many as three at once.

Ordinarily, it wasn't any of his business. Everyone was consenting adults. But he recognized the McMurray's jeep on more than one occasion, and he began to worry about what the future might hold.

He decided to say something.

::::

“Hey, Katy,” Daryl said one morning without looking up from his yogurt. She knocked as she entered the house now, and every time Daryl and Wayne couldn't help but meet each others eyes and grin.

The moment she saw them dressed and having coffee, she strode in casually. “Good morning boys.”

When she saw their faces, she stopped and became uncomfortable. “What's going on?”

Daryl sat tense as a bow string while brother confronted sister about sleeping with the most annoying married couple in Letterkenny. Naturally, screaming took place.

Daryl kept Katy from leaving by blocking the door and reminding everyone that no one was even thinking bad names here. It was only a matter of her selection.

“I don't much fancy family dinners with cock sucking gin and tonics every night.”

“Oh my god, we hook up now and again. Well, me and her do. He really just watches--

“Pump the fucking brakes, Katy. I don't need the fucking details. Fuck.”

“And I didn't need to see you bent over the couch but you gave me that.”

This stopped Wayne cold.

Daryl laughed first. It was funny now. Katy cracked up next. And then, though his ears were pink, Wayne joined and finally they had a good laugh about it.

Tension broken, Katy opened up about her new found freedom in the trailer. It wasn't as bad as it seemed.

“Yes, I have a lot of overnight guests but can you blame me?” this was directed at Daryl, who shook his head.

Katy shrugged. “We don't even do stuff most of the time. It's honestly just sleepovers.”

Daryl's heart went out to her. “Beats being alone down there.”

She nodded. “That trailer is so small and the walls are so thin, you can hear everything outside. It was actually kind of scary my first night alone.”

“So come home.” Wayne begged.

“No way. I actually love living alone, it's just a little scary as a single female in a meth town. All I need is a little more security.”

“Security? Like an extra lock on the door?”

“That, and a big favor from Wayne. Actually, two favors.”

:::::

Stormy and Gus went to live with their doting aunt. It was literally just a hundred meters away, they had important work to do there, and they were better off away from the influence of spoiled terriers anyway. Still, Wayne's eyes stung as he walked away from them.

The promise of getting to play together every day was minimal comfort against the pain of formal separation.

Daryl was leaning in the open door of the house when Wayne returned.

“You OK, baby?”

Wayne bucked up and shrugged. “They're good dogs. They'll keep her plenty safe from skids and de-gens looking for trouble.”

“We've still got five dogs.”

“Four.” Wayne corrected. The rat terriers only seemed to multiply when there was food.

Darry grinned and brought a sleeping puppy from behind his back. Pit bull. Barely weaned. Wayne gasped and took it carefully.

She fit in his hand and his heart like she was made to be there. “Oh, fuck.”

“I had Gail find the perfect liter and select the best one.”

She was solid gray with a white snout. As Wayne examined her, she woke and cried for mummy. Wayne put her against his heart and tilted his face against her coat. She calmed, little tail wagging.

“Darry.” Wayne said. His voice had an edge because he was on the fucking edge. His eyes were burning now.

Darry smirked. “Yeah?”

Wayne stepped against him and kissed him as hard as he could with the baby between them. Darry laughed, broke the kiss and lured him inside to show the puppy supplies that had come with her.

They sat in the floor and watched her learning to play with her older brothers and sister. Wayne was besotted, and for some reason could not stop thinking about the day he made Darry a partner on the farm.

The occasion had called for a new name to the farm, and they had debated for days on what to call it. At one point, they had tried combining their first names and then their last names into new words but nothing had worked for the name of a farm, so in the end they had settled with initials instead.

Wayne thought of the cutest of the discarded farm names. He grinned at Darry.

“I want to name her Dayney.”

Darry's eyes flared with recognition. “Awe. I love it, babe.”

He gave Wayne a kiss to the nose and then stayed close and just looked at him with sparkling eyes that promised as many pups as he wanted. In all of Wayne's life, he had never felt so loved and understood.

::::::

Modeen's 3 had a packed house. College kids on summer break. For the first time ever, Daryl entered this scene as half of a couple. All the purdy girls and distracting fellas were something to appreciate, which Daryl and Wayne both did under the new Look Don't Touch ground rule, but Darry didn't want any of them like he wanted Wayne.

Without the pressure to speak to strangers and put himself out there just to be rejected, Daryl enjoyed himself. Until Glenn appeared.

“Wayne! Daryl! Oh my goarde, news around town is you two are batting for my team all the sudden. I can't make heads or tails of it. Who would start a rumor like that? And to wut end?”

“Not a rumor. Me and Wayne are sweeties now.”

Glenn's jaw dropped. He sputtered. Then he jumped up and down. “Oh Praise the Lord! He is Good! The truth shall set you free!”

He rambled on with more Bible talk mixed with inappropriate, non subtle hints that he was up for joining them if they were into it.

“Hard no.” Wayne said.

“I think Wayne is a touch possessive of me.” Daryl said with a goofy grin.

“A tad times one hundred, Darry. Yer mine.”

Daryl's stomach dipped and he had to catch his breath. He disguised this with a laugh, leaning close to say lowly, “I like bein' yers.”

They made eye contact. Wayne's eyebrow twitched toward the parking lot. He wanted a squeezer then, and Daryl had no objections. But before they could move that way, Gail found them.

“The fuck is this sexual heat I'm looking at right now, boys? And I'm hearing this incredible story about the two of you running Katy out of her own house with your aggressive, manly, sweaty mating rituals? Do tell.”

“Well, you summed it up nicely.” Daryl said.

Gail's eyes flashed. She leaned too close to Daryl. “Fuck. What's his dick like in action?”

“Now just mind your business, Gail. That dick action is all mine.” Daryl said, forceful and a little loud.

Wayne's spine stiffened and he leaned close. “Say, now, I do like it being all yours. Fuck.”

“Wanna get outta here?” Daryl asked, suggestively. Wayne's pupils dilated.

“Yes. Fuck. Let's get outta here.”

They made a line for the exit, but of course some asshat blocked the path and made snide remarks.

Wayne did a shot, lit a dart, undid his cuffs, kissed Daryl, and then knocked the guy cold in the parking lot.

People talked about it for weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone wrote is a sequel! Check it out!
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/15808530


End file.
